Two Hearts, One Love
by youngstoryteller.007
Summary: Sequel to "That's Life." Nowadays Chloe is playing piano professionally, and Beca has reunited with her high school band Trio and they are the hottest band on the charts. Chicago is in San Fran and is looking to see if he can win Stacie over. And Beca is trying to make things right with Chloe after not talking for two years. Will Beca ever win back Chloe's heart?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: It's Been Awhile

"Jesse, what time does our flight leave tomorrow morning?" Beca asked as she flopped down on her hotel bed. The brunette looked up at the ceiling and closed her eyes before letting out a long sigh. Trio was currently on the American leg of their world tour and had been traveling all over the United States for the last three weeks as a result. Their last show in the U.S. was at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

"I think it leaves at ten, but I'll have to check with Benji," Jesse answered before taking out his phone to call Aubrey.

"Alright, thanks," Beca said, running her fingers through her hair as she looked up at the ceiling of their hotel room.

In LA, Beca had gotten an internship at a recording studio called Residual Heat. In the first month of her internship, all the brunette did was get lunch for everyone, but that changed after she made a remix of "Winter Wonderland" that included her own vocals for Snoop Dogg's Christmas album. She rose to fame after she released her first album with Residual Heat, winning a couple Grammy awards along the way. A few months later, Beca contacted Jesse and Benji to see if they would be interested in a Trio reunion. They both agreed and moved out to LA, and the rest is history. Now, after being back together for about a year and a half, Trio was one of the hottest bands on the charts and had a pretty substantial fanbase.

Once he had gotten off the phone with Aubrey, Jesse sat down on his bed. "Are you excited for tomorrow?" He asked.

The brunette nodded her head. "Yeah, I am. Madison Square Garden will be the biggest venue we've ever played at," Beca replied.

"Madison Square Garden. It just sounds so right, doesn't it?" Jesse said, smiling widely. "I can't believe that we're playing there, and that the show is sold up. This is huge, dude." Beca nodded her head in agreement and then sighed again. Jesse noticed that something seemed off with his friend, so he decided to ask her about it. "Is everything okay, Beca?"

Beca looked at Jesse with a confused expression on her face. "Uh, yeah? Why wouldn't it be?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You're just acting a little weird, that's all," Jesse said, shrugging his shoulders. He knew Beca wasn't looking forward to going to New York for a specific reason, but he decided not to trouble her with it. "Madison Square fits about 21,000 people. That's insane," he said, changing the subject.

"Mmhm, that's crazy," Beca murmured absentmindedly, still looking up at the ceiling. There was a moment of silence between the two before the brunette spoke again. "What if I see her, Jesse? What if she's there?"

The twenty-three year-old sighed and shrugged again, unsure of what to say in reply. He knew that Beca was referring to the one and only Chloe Beale. They hadn't seen each other since that day at the airport almost five years ago, and they had been out-of-touch for quite some time. "I knew that would be on your mind," Jesse said, scratching the back of his head. "I, for one, would be happy to see her, and so would Benji. We haven't contacted her, though, because we know that would be hard for you."

"It's my fault that we lost touch. Things just got so busy, and before I knew it, I hadn't texted or called her back in months," Beca said, holding her head in her hands for a few moments. "I know that the likelihood of me seeing her is pretty slim, but still. I don't know what I'm gonna do if we cross paths. What if she hates me now, Jesse?"

"She doesn't hate you, Beca. I'm sure she understands that being famous means you're pretty busy," Jesse said, trying to reassure his friend. "Almost every love song you've written is about her, and I think she knows that."

"I haven't checked on her in years, though. I basically abandoned her. She has every right to hate me," Beca said, biting her lip and looking down.

"I'm not saying that you should try to go see her while we're in New York, but you won't know how she feels about you unless you talk to her," Jesse stated, looking over at Beca as he said those words.

"I guess that's true," Beca said, running her fingers through her hair again. "I feel so bad, Jesse. I've never regretted anything more than I regret this."

"You can't beat yourself up over this, Beca. People grow apart sometimes. That's life. You're stressing about this way too much. Chloe is a very forgiving person, so it's very unlikely that she hates you," Jesse said, laying back against his bed again. "Don't worry about it. We probably won't see her while we're there anyways."

"Yeah, you're right," Beca said, sighing again as she looked back up at the ceiling. "We should probably try to get some sleep, huh? We'll need to get up somewhat early tomorrow to pack our stuff."

"Well, I don't have much to pack, but you're probably right," Jesse said, turning off the lamp on the bedside table after he had climbed under the covers. "Great show tonight, by the way. Philadelphia has a lot of Trio fans," he stated.

"Yeah, for sure," Beca said, smiling softly as she recalled their performance from a few hours ago. "Goodnight, Jesse. Great show tonight, too. Nobody can play the drums like you can," she added.

"I'm no Larry Mullen Jr., but thanks," Jesse said with a chuckle before closing his eyes and falling asleep.

The next morning, the three bandmates got up a little after seven to go workout in the hotel's weight room for a little while. After that, they grabbed some breakfast before heading out of the hotel to go to the Philadelphia International Airport.

Beca was in a much better mood that morning than she had been the previous night. "You guys, I am so excited for this show tonight!" She said enthusiastically. "I have a feeling that this is going to be our best show yet."

"You've certainly lightened up since last night," Jesse said with a chuckle as they were driven to the airport.

"I'm excited for tonight too," Benji said. "I can't believe we're going to the United Kingdom next. I've always wanted to go there," he added, his voice even more enthusiastic than Beca's.

"This last year and a half has been one hell of a ride, but I wouldn't change anything about it. I love you guys, and I'm so glad that we're on this journey together," Beca said, a smile slowly spreading across her face as she spoke.

"I wouldn't be anywhere else," Benji said, patting Beca's shoulder. "This band was the best part of my life back in high school, and I'm so glad that we decided to get back together."

"Me too. I think it's safe to say that we made the right decision by getting back together. I mean, look where we are now," Jesse said, chuckling some more.

Beca smiled at her bandmates and then sighed happily. "Madison Square Garden…" She said to herself. "My dad didn't believe me when I first told him that we had sold it out in ten minutes."

"I didn't believe it at first either," Benji said, smiling back at Beca. "I still can't believe that we sold it out that fast."

"Pretty insane, isn't it?" Beca said, chuckling a little.

Once they got to the airport and went through security, the three of them were escorted to their private jet on the runway. Their flight left on time and they were in New York in less than an hour. "Don't you love private jets?" Jesse said as they exited the jet. "They get you to your destination in half the time."

"The word 'love' is an understatement. Private jets are one of the best things to ever be invented in my opinion," Beca replied. "We've got a lot of time to kill before we have to be at the Garden for soundcheck. Is there anything in particular that you guys want to do?" She asked.

"I'd like to see some of my old college buddies at NYU," Benji answered, smiling. "I haven't seen most of them since I graduated."

"Alright, we can do that," Beca said, a smile on her face as well. She then turned to Jesse. "What about you? What would you like to do?"

"I'd like to visit Central Park and maybe walk along the Hudson River for awhile," Jesse said as they walked out to the car waiting for them.

"Alright, we can do that too. Something I'd like to do is go to Taco Bell. I bet that's a real surprise," Beca said with a chuckle.

"You're so predictable," Jesse said, chuckling along with the brunette. "I think we should go to Café d'Amore for dinner tomorrow night. I've heard that it's one of the best Italian restaurants in the city and that they have live music."

"That sounds good to me as long as we go to Taco Bell for lunch today," Beca said, chuckling some more.

"Well, since it's almost lunchtime, why don't we find the nearest Taco Bell and go there?" Benji suggested, the other two nodding their heads in agreement. Their driver took them to a Taco Bell that was near Central Park, so the three bandmates decided to go for a walk in the park after they finished their food.

"This is so cool. I always loved it when they would show an aerial shot of New York City during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade because you could see Central Park and all the buildings around it," Beca commented.

"I went to the Macy's parade a couple times while I was at NYU," Benji said, smiling as they walked into the park. "It was always very cold, but it was totally worth it."

"How early did you have to wake up to get a good spot at the parade?" Jesse asked curiously.

"Around six in the morning," Benji said, taking a sip from a bottle of water that he had gotten at Taco Bell. "It wasn't too bad, though. We always found good spots."

"Oh, really? For some reason I thought you'd have to get up at like two or something," Jesse said, chuckling a little.

"NYU isn't too far away from where the parade is," Benji said with a shrug before they sat down on a bench in the middle of the park. "I really do love it here. Whenever I was stressed about school, I always came here to help calm myself down."

"I can see why. This place has a chill, relaxed feel to it," Beca said, smiling as she looked around them.

Jesse then got off the bench lay down in the field, looking up at the trees and the sky. "Aubrey would love it here. I wish she could've joined us on the tour."

"Yeah, same with Emily. She really wanted to come with us, but she would've missed almost half of her senior year in college if she did," Benji said.

Beca then looked down for a moment, her mind going straight to Chloe. The brunette thought about how the redhead could be on the tour with them right now and how they could be together again. Her heart hurt while she thought about this, as she knew she had fucked up big time and that Chloe probably hated her now. And Beca honestly couldn't blame her; after all, she basically faded out on her. They hadn't seen each other since Chloe left for Juilliard, and they hadn't talked in over two years. Therefore, the brunette felt it was safe to say that the redhead wanted nothing to do with her.

After hanging out in the park for a little while longer, Jesse stood up. "Why don't we head over to NYU now? It's not too far from here," he said.

"Sounds good to me," Beca said. She and Benji stood up as well before they started walking towards the park exit. They were stopped a couple times by fans to get their picture taken along the way, but they managed to get to the campus pretty quickly.

"Lead the way, Benji. Jesse and I have no idea where we're going," Beca said with a chuckle once they got to NYU.

"Alrighty. This is the main courtyard of the campus," Benji said as they walked onto the campus. "Would you guys like to see my old dorms?" He asked.

Beca and Jesse looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders. "Sure. Why not?" Jesse said as he turned back to Benji. Benji took them to the different dorms he had lived in, making sure to sign the doors of his former rooms. After that, they met some of his college friends at the Starbucks on campus. The three of them stayed on campus for a couple more hours before heading over to Madison Square Garden to get ready for their concert later that night.

Meanwhile, Chicago was moving into his new apartment in San Francisco. After a stellar four seasons with the Georgia Bulldogs, he had been selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the NFL Draft. Because he was one of the 49ers' top picks in the draft, he received a hefty contract offer from the team, which he gladly signed. His new income allowed him to rent a very nice apartment downtown that had a great view of the San Francisco Bay and was close to a bunch of great restaurants.

The young man was currently bringing in boxes of stuff for his bedroom with the help of Elijah Lee and Ross Dwelley, two of his new teammates. "Thanks for helping me move in you guys," he said as they carried the box for his bed frame in through the front door of his apartment.

"No problem, Rook," Elijah replied, giving Chicago a fist bump once he and Ross had set the box down.

"Yeah, what Elijah said. Just so you know, we're going to be taking you under our wing. Rookies usually get picked on by the veterans, so we're gonna show you the ropes and make sure you feel at home. After all, we were rookies not too long ago," Ross said.

"Well, thanks anyways," Chicago said, smiling at the two of them. After they finished unpacking his stuff, the three of them sat down on the couch and started playing some Madden '18 on Chicago's PS4 console. "What was one of the first things you guys did when you got here?"

"The first thing I did when I got here was play some Madden, actually," Elijah said with a chuckle.

Chicago chuckled along with Elijah before turning to Ross. "What about you? What was the first thing you did when you got here?"

"This may sound cheesy, but I went down to Baker Beach to watch the sunset," Ross answered, smiling as he recalled the memory. "So Rook, what's Seattle like? I've never been there before, surprisingly."

"Seattle is great, man. In my opinion, it's the best city in the whole world," Chicago said with a smile. He then added, "Don't get me wrong, I love San Francisco too. I love Seattle more, though. It's home to me."

"I went there once as a kid," Elijah said, watching Chicago as he picked his team. He went with the Seahawks because they had always been his favorite team. Elijah was also playing as his favorite team, which was the Minnesota Vikings.

"Really? That's cool. What was your favorite part about Seattle?" Chicago asked, pressing the start button once he and Elijah were ready to play.

"It's a tie between Lake Union and the Space Needle. I loved going swimming in the lake, and I loved going to the top of the Space Needle," Elijah answered, nodding his head.

"So, Rook, is there a special girl back in Seattle?" Ross asked, nudging Chicago a little bit."You told me that you didn't date in college, so that must mean that there's a girl back home."

"There may or may not be a girl back home," Chicago said, scratching the back of his head as he tried to keep himself from blushing even harder.

"There totally is, dude. You can tell by the look on his face," Ross said to Elijah with a chuckle. "Come on, tell us about her."

"Well, she's beautiful. Probably the most beautiful girl I've ever seen," Chicago started, a smile spreading across his face as he spoke. "She's kind and funny and smart. She was the valedictorian of my senior class, which is pretty cool. Her name is Stacie, and I'm really looking forward to seeing her again." A few moments later, he added, "Hopefully I see her soon, since she's also in San Francisco. She moved here after she graduated from the University of Washington."

"So, were you two ever a thing?" Elijah asked as his team scored a touchdown. "Or were you guys the 'will they, won't they' of your friend group?"

"No, we weren't officially together, but we weren't really the 'will they, won't they' of our friend group either," Chicago replied as he returned the kickoff.

"So you guys were just friends then?" Ross asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "If she's the girl back home, wouldn't you two have had a fling or something?"

"We had a brief fling for one night, but that was it. It wasn't a one-night stand because it meant more than that," Chicago said, looking down for a moment. "We agreed that we would wait until the time was right to get together."

"Ah, I see. You're waiting for her to run into your arms so you two can live happily ever after," Elijah said with a laugh. "Rook, why don't you just text her or something?"

"I mean, I haven't talked to her in awhile. Wouldn't it be kinda weird if I just texted her out of the blue?" Chicago asked.

"Well, you're both in San Francisco now, so what's the harm? I bet she'd be really happy to see you," Elijah said before picking a defensive play.

"Elijah is right, Rook," Ross added, nodding his head in agreement. "I think you should go for it. It could be the best decision you'll ever make."

Chicago thought about Ross's words for a few moments, a small smile making its way onto his face. "Yeah, maybe I will," he said. After the next play was over, he paused the game and took out his phone. "What do you guys think I should say?" He asked as he opened and then scrolled down his contact list.

"Just tell her that you're in San Francisco and ask if she wants to catch up over lunch or coffee sometime," Ross said, smiling as he watched his friend press the call button once he had found Stacie's contact.

Chicago took a deep breath as he brought his phone up to his ear. It seemed like days had passed before the ringing stopped and Stacie's voice came through the speaker. Chicago was about to say something when he realized that it was a voicemail greeting. "Hey, this is Stacie! I can't come to the phone right now because I'm either at school, work, or with my handsome boyfriend Logan, so leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!"

Chicago felt his heart sink when he heard Stacie say "handsome boyfriend Logan," and he ended the call as soon as he heard the beeping sound for leaving a message. He wanted to pretend like he didn't hear those words, but he knew that wouldn't do any good, so he just turned his phone off and got up up get himself a beer from the fridge.

"Is everything good, Rook? Were you too scared to leave a message?" Ross joked when Chicago came back, playfully nudging him as he took a sip of his beer.

"She has a boyfriend," Chicago stated in a somber tone.

"Oh," Ross said simply before looking over at Elijah, who just shrugged his shoulders. "That sucks, bro. I'm sorry about that," he said, putting a hand on Chicago's shoulder.

"We promised to wait for each other," Chicago said, his heart sinking even more. "No wonder we haven't talked in awhile. She didn't want me to know that she broke our promise," he stated, shaking his head as he took another sip from his beer.

"Was she acting weird before you two stopped talking?" Elijah asked.

"No, she wasn't. She was acting completely normal," Chicago replied, scratching the back of his head. He then picked up his controller and resumed the game. "I don't really want to talk about it anymore, so let's just keep playing," he said before picking an offensive play.

"Fine by me. You are so going down, Rook," Elijah stated confidently as he picked a defensive play.

As they continued to play, Chicago couldn't help but think about Stacie. _Why would she do this to me? How could she do this to me?_ He thought to himself. Those two questions troubled him for the rest of the night, and he was unable to fall asleep as a result. All he could think about was Stacie.

The next day, Beca, Jesse and Benji were going out for dinner at Café d'Amore before their flight to Dublin, Ireland. "So, how did you hear about this place?" Beca asked Jesse as they walked along the sidewalk towards the restaurant.

"Aubrey's parents told me about it, actually. They said that they went there once and that it was the best Italian food they've ever had in their lives," Jesse replied.

"Oh wow. It must be pretty good, then," Beca said as they continued to walk along the sidewalk. She looked up and saw a big sign a couple blocks away. "Hey, look. I think that's the restaurant," she said, pointing at the sign.

"Yeah, that's it," Jesse said, walking a bit faster to keep up with Beca, who was walking in front of him and Benji. "I called ahead and made a reservation for us since Aubrey's parents said that the place fills up pretty quickly."

"Good thinking there, Jesse," Benji said with a smile as they got closer to the restaurant.

When they arrived at their destination, the three of them walked inside and were immediately blown away. "Wow. This place is absolutely beautiful," Beca said as she looked around the restaurant.

"It really is," Jesse said as they walked up to the hostess. "Hi, we have a reservation."

"What was the name on that?" The hostess asked politely.

"Swanson," Jesse answered with a smile.

"Alright, right this way," the hostess replied, grabbing three menus and then gesturing for them to follow her.

They followed the hostess to their table and thanked her before sitting down. As Beca flipped through the menu, she heard piano music playing softly in the background and smiled to herself. _Whoever's playing right now is really good_ , the brunette thought to herself. A few moments later, she looked up from the menu and craned her neck to see who was playing the piano. Beca couldn't see the pianist's face but she did see that they had red hair. Then, Beca suddenly realized who it was, and her eyes went wide. "No fucking way."

These words caught the attention of Jesse and Benji, and they both looked up from the menus. "What's wrong?" Jesse asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"She's here," Beca said, feeling her face start to heat up. "She's here," the brunette repeated, unable to tear her eyes away from the redhead.

"Who's here?" Benji said before turning around and seeing the red hair at the piano. He raised his eyebrows and then turned back to Beca. "There could be thousands of redhead pianists here in New York City," he pointed out, even though he knew it was Chloe. Benji knew that it was the redhead because he had seen her working there on weekends during their senior year. He didn't think that she worked there during the week, though, which was why he hadn't mentioned it to Beca or Jesse.

Beca shook her head. "No, it's her," she insisted. "It's definitely her. It's got to be her. I don't know who else it could be."

"It could Reba McEntire," Jesse joked, chuckling until Beca kicked his leg under the table.

"Shit. Do you think she can see me?" Beca asked, looking over at the redhead again. "Jesse, switch me places so she won't see me if she looks this way."

"Beca, she can't see you from over there. You can barely see her. Just relax," Jesse said, trying to calm the brunette down.

"Jesse, please switch places with me," Beca begged. "I don't want her to see me over here."

"Dude, you're being paranoid." Jesse stated, although he stood up anyway and gestured for Beca to take his seat.

When the song ended a few minutes later, Chloe stood up from the piano. "I'm going to take a short break. I'll be back in ten," the redhead announced.

Beca held her breath as she watched Chloe and froze when she saw the redhead look in her direction "Fuck," she muttered under her breath. "What do I do now?"

"Maybe you should stop staring at her and turn around," Jesse said, chuckling.

Beca did as he told her to and turned around, hoping that Chloe wouldn't come over to their table. It was too late, however, seeing as Chloe was doing the same thing as she was. "She's definitely seen me by now," Beca said, grabbing her beer before switching spots with Jesse. "Fuck, what if she comes over? How am I going to explain myself? We haven't talked in two and a half years."

"Maybe she wouldn't have seen you if you hadn't stared at her for so long," Jesse said, chuckling some more while shaking his head at the brunette. "Just take deep breaths, Beca. She's not coming over here, not yet at least."

"I'm such a terrible person. I never should've stopped answering her calls and texts. I feel awful," Beca said, putting her head in her hands.

"Beca, you need to stop stressing out about this. Sure, you may have made a bad decision, but that's in the past. You need to stop dwelling on the past and focus on the future. All hope is not lost. You can still make things right with Chloe," Benji said in a calm voice.

"That's easy for you to say," Beca replied, still holding her head in her hands. "You and Emily were only apart for a year and a half. This is the first time I've seen Chloe in five years. What am I supposed to say to her?"

"Who said you have to talk to her? She still hasn't come over here, and it doesn't look like she's going to," Jesse said, watching Chloe out of the corner of his eye.

"She's not coming over here because she hates me," Beca said with a sad sigh. She turned her head and looked at the redhead, debating on whether or not to go and talk to her. Once she had made up her mind, the brunette turned back to her bandmates. "I have to go talk to her even if there's a pretty good chance that I'll get a drink thrown in my face. I need to apologize for what I've done," she stated before getting up and following Chloe, who was walking out out to the back deck of the restaurant. The brunette cleared her throat to get the redhead's attention when they got out to the deck. "Before you kill me, I just want you to know that I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Chloe asked, not turning around to face Beca.

"I-I'm sorry for not answering your calls or texts," Beca stuttered, looking down as she spoke. "I wanted to contact you, but I didn't. I don't have a good reason as to why I didn't either. You have every right to hate me, Chloe, and I know that. I just…" Beca trailed off, putting her hands in her pockets and taking a deep breath before continuing. "I just couldn't see you and not say something. That would make me an even bigger dick than I already am."

Chloe stood there in silence for a few moments and then turned around. When she did, Beca saw that there were tears in her eyes. "Two and a half years," the redhead said, looking into the brunette's eyes as she spoke. "You ignored me for two and a half years. You say you don't have a reason, but I want one. I want you to tell me why you ignored me. I want you to tell my why you thought it would be okay to ignore me." Chloe then paused to collect herself before continuing. "Did you think that I wouldn't care? If you did, you're wrong. I was worried sick about you, Beca. I thought something bad had happened to you. Why couldn't you have at least told me that you were okay?" She asked, her voice cracking with emotion.

"I thought you'd have seen that I was starting to succeed with my music, given the fact that it was all over the news." Judging by the look on Chloe's face, Beca knew that her answer wasn't a good one, so she thought of something else to say. "After I released my first album, everything got crazy. It got even crazier when I went on my first tour. I barely had time to talk to anyone, although I should have made an effort to do so. Not a day has gone by where I haven't regretted what I've done," she stated, looking back up at Chloe. "You're allowed to hate me. I understand if you do. I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am."

Chloe couldn't help but chuckle and shake her head at Beca. "I'm allowed to hate you? First of all, I don't need your permission for that. Second of all, do you really think that I hate you because of this?"

Beca blinked a couple times, unsure if she had heard Chloe. "I mean, I'd be pretty upset if I were you. I've treated you like shit for the last two and a half years," she replied, scratching the back of her head.

"I hate what you did, Beca, but I don't hate you," Chloe said, looking down for a moment. "You're not off the hook, though, so don't think you got off scot-free. Also, don't expect me to fall into your arms, because I won't. Lastly, don't expect me to say that everything good between us, because it isn't. You did treat me like shit, but I'm willing to give you another chance. If you want me to be back in your life, you're going to have to fix this."

"And I want to fix this, Chlo. I really do. It's my fault that things are the way they are, and I'll do whatever it takes to fix this. I'll do whatever it takes to fix us," Beca said, lifting Chloe's chin up with her finger so they were gazing into each other's eyes. "I love you, Chloe Anne Beale. I always have and I always will," she whispered.

"Don't try to kiss me or anything because I will throw this in your face," Chloe threatened, grabbing her bottle of water to prove that she was being serious. "The first thing you have to do is answer my calls, no matter where you are or what you're doing. I don't care if you're performing at a concert or partying with your famous friends. You're going to answer my calls."

Beca nodded her head. "I'll answer your calls no matter where I'm at or what I'm doing," she vowed. "What else do I have to do?"

"Sometimes I go back to Juilliard to perform at events, and I'd like you to come to at least two of those events when you're done with your tour," Chloe said. "Also, you need to thank me whenever you get an award. I think I deserve that since most of your songs are about me anyways," the redhead added, giggling a little.

"Fair enough," Beca said, a small smile on her face. "Is there anything else I have to do, or is that it?" She asked.

"Nope, that's it," Chloe replied. "By the way, this chance I'm giving you doesn't mean that we're going to get back together. We'll be friends again if you do these things that I've asked of you, but I can't guarantee that we'll get back together. If I want you to be in my life that way again, I'll let you know," she stated firmly.

Beca nodded her head and then cleared her throat, shuffling her feet awkwardly as well. "You don't have to answer this if you don't want to, but...are you seeing anyone right now?" The brunette asked nervously, biting down on her lip as she awaited the redhead's answer.

Chloe instantly shook her head. "No, I'm not," she said in a soft voice. "The last time I kissed someone was five years ago at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport."

"Was I the last person you kissed, or did you kiss someone else after I left?" Beca asked with a chuckle.

"No, I'm more than sure that you were the last person I kissed," Chloe said, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"Okay, good," Beca said, chuckling a little more. There was a moment of silence between the two before the brunette spoke again. "Your break is probably over by now, huh?"

"Yeah, it is," Chloe said with a sigh. "You should go back too so Jesse and Benji know you're still alive."

"Yeah, you're right. They might think that you've killed me and dumped my body in the ocean," Beca joked, which made Chloe laugh. "Well, I'm gonna head back in there. It was nice seeing you, Chloe. And by the way, you look beautiful tonight," the brunette said genuinely.

"You always say that," Chloe said with a chuckle as she grabbed her bottle of water.

"I always say that because it's always true," Beca replied, smiling and shrugging her shoulders.

"I see you haven't lost your smoothness," Chloe said, winking at Beca before walking towards the door. Before she went inside the restaurant, the redhead turned back to face the brunette. "It's nice to see you too, Beca."

These words caused a smile to appear on Beca's face. "Have a good rest of your night, Chloe. And thank you for giving me a second chance. A lot of people wouldn't do that. I really appreciate it."

"Well, I'm not like a lot of people. I'm me," Chloe said, smiling back at Beca before turning around and going inside the restaurant, leaving the brunette alone on the back deck.

Beca stood outside on the back deck for a little while longer, her smile growing as she recalled the conversation that she and Chloe had just had. She then went back into the restaurant, still smiling as she did so. While she knew that it would be awhile before they were back on good terms, the brunette was confident that she could both restore their friendship and make Chloe fall for her all over again.

 **So here is the first chapter of the sequel! We hope you enjoy it! Yes, Chicago is going to be a part of it but he will not be going after Chloe, I think that was pretty clear with this opening chapter. Anyways, we hope you enjoyed this!**

 **Until Next Time!**


	2. Chapter 2: Promises

Chapter 2: Promises

"So let me get this straight: you two agreed to wait for each other, but she has a boyfriend now? That doesn't make any sense," Chloe said, running her fingers through her hair. She was currently on the phone with Chicago, who had texted her and asked if she could give him some advice regarding Stacie. "This seems pretty out-of-character for Stacie. I didn't think she was one for breaking promises."

"You and me both," Chicago said, scratching the back of his head as he lay down on his new bed. "I just don't understand why she would keep something like this from me."

"I can understand why she did it, actually. I don't agree with it, but I can understand why she didn't tell you. I think she didn't tell you because she's embarrassed that she broke the promise, and she didn't want you to get mad at her," Chloe replied. "That's what it seems like to me, at least."

Chicago sat up on the edge of his bed and sighed heavily. "I'm more crushed than angry at the moment. I guess this is karma for me not telling you about Georgia all those years ago," he said with a sad chuckle. "It sucks, you know? I already had our first date planned out in my head. I'd pick her up and we'd go get coffee, and then we would walk around San Francisco for awhile before heading over to Baker Beach as the sun began to set, and I'd kiss her goodnight once I dropped her back off at her place. Call me a sap all you want, but I was really looking forward to being with Stacie."

Chloe smiled sadly as she listened to Chicago. "I'm sorry, Chic. It sucks when people keep things from you, and Stacie shouldn't have kept this from you. That being said, you shouldn't draw any conclusions before you hear both sides of the story. Have you tried contacting her again?" The redhead asked.

"No, I haven't," Chicago said, sighing again. "What am I supposed to say? She hasn't tried to call me back since I tried calling her, so I assume that she doesn't want to talk to me, let alone see me," he said, biting his lip. "I'll give her another call, though." Chicago then gave his full attention to Chloe. "So, you saw Beca?" He asked with a smirk on his face.

"Before I answer that question, you need to wipe that smirk off of your face. Yes, I know you're smirking right now," Chloe said with a chuckle, pausing for a moment and then continuing. "Yes, I saw Beca. She came to Café d'Amore with Jesse and Benji last week."

"Ooh la la. Café d'Amore, how appropriate," Chicago said, chuckling for a few moments and then speaking again. "Tell me exactly what happened. Did she beg on her knees for your forgiveness? Did you slap her or throw a drink at her?"

Chloe chuckled some more before answering Chicago's questions. "No, I didn't slap her or throw a drink at her. I did threaten to throw a bottle of water at her at one point, but that was it. She didn't exactly beg on her knees for my forgiveness, but she did tell me that she was sorry at least twenty times. I've decided to give her a second chance, but that doesn't mean that we're going to get back together. It just means that we can and will be friends again as long as she fixes things between us."

"Seems fair," Chicago said, nodding his head as he listened to Chloe. The young man spoke again after a moment of silence. "You missed her, didn't you?" He asked, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Last week was the first time I saw her in five years and the first time I talked to her in two and a half. Of course I missed her, Chic," Chloe said, biting her lip a little.

"She actually called me last week to talk about you," Chicago mentioned. "She went on and on about how beautiful you looked and how happy she was that you agreed to give her a second chance. I think it's safe to say she missed you too."

Chloe smiled softly at Chicago's words. "Even though I was upset at first, I'm really glad that we ran into each other. It gave us a much-needed opportunity to clear things up."

"I'm happy to hear that, Chloe," Chicago said, smiling. He then got up and went to the kitchen to grab a Gatorade. "The training out here is absolutely insane. It's even more intense than Georgia's training was."

"Well, you are a professional football player now," Chloe pointed out with a giggle. "When's your first game?" She asked curiously.

"Our first preseason game is in a couple weeks. The actual season doesn't start for another month or so," Chicago answered. "The team is looking good so far. I'd say that we have a pretty decent chance of making the playoffs this year. I probably won't get much playing time this year since I'm a rookie, but I'm going to train super hard so I'm ready if I do get to play."

"I have no doubt in my mind that you're going to do great, Chic. You're like, the most talented athlete I've ever met," Chloe stated genuinely.

"Thanks, Chloe. It means a lot to hear you say that," Chicago said, his smile growing even wider. "Just so you know, you're the most talented pianist I've ever met," he added.

"Thank you. That's very sweet of you to say," Chloe said, a smile on her face as well. After a moment of silence, the redhead took a deep breath and then spoke again. "I better get going now. Call me if you hear anything from Stacie, okay?"

"I will. Call me if you hear anything from Beca," Chicago replied. "Have a good rest of your day. I'll talk to you soon."

"Will do, Chic. Have fun at training later," Chloe said before hanging up her phone and leaving her apartment to go to the gym. Once she got there she warmed up on the treadmill by running four miles. When she got there, the redhead warmed up by running four miles on the treadmill. Chloe had continued to work out every day while she was at Juilliard and had been able to shave two minutes off of her mile time while she was at it. She could now run a seven minute mile, so it took less than thirty minutes for her to run those four miles.

Chloe did some yoga and strength exercises after she finished warming up on the treadmill. About halfway through one of her sets of push-ups, her music was interrupted by her ringtone. The redhead stopped what she was doing and grabbed her phone, raising an eyebrow when she saw that Beca was calling her. Against her better judgement, Chloe answered the phone call. "Wow. This is the first time I've received a call from you in three years. I'd almost forgotten what your ringtone sounded like."

Beca winced a little at Chloe's words. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I can wait another three years before I call you again if you want," she said, chuckling softly.

Chloe couldn't help but chuckle along with Beca. "You don't have to," she said as she finished her set of push-ups. "So, to what do I owe the rare pleasure of you calling me?" She asked.

"I just wanted to check up on you, you know? Make sure you were doing okay and everything. I mean, I know you don't need me to check on you, but I wanted to do it anyways," Beca said. "So, uh, how are you?"

"I'm alright. Thanks for asking," Chloe replied, feeling the tension grow between them. "How was your concert tonight, wherever you were?" She asked, grabbing her water bottle before going over to the boxing area.

"The concert went well. We were in Paris tonight and are on our way to Madrid right now, actually," Beca said. There was a moment of silence between the two of them that seemed to last forever until the brunette spoke again. "I'm really glad we saw each other last week," she said in a soft voice.

"Yeah, me too," Chloe said, putting some tape on her left hand. "Did you choose come talk to me, or did Benji and Jesse tell you to do it?"

 _She's never gonna give me a break, huh? I deserve it, though,_ Beca thought to herself. "I chose to come talk to you. Jesse and Benji didn't think it was a good idea, but I did it anyways. I had to apologize to you, Chloe. You may not believe it, but I truly do regret what I did. If I could go back in time and make myself not be a dumbass, I would," she said genuinely.

"Well, you'll have your chance to prove that over the next few months," Chloe said as she taped up her right hand. "And you should know that I'm not going to let you off the hook easily," she added firmly.

"I know that. I wouldn't expect you to," Beca replied. "I'm lucky that you even gave me a second chance," the brunette added.

"Good. I'm glad you realize that," Chloe said as she walked over to one of the punching bags. "I didn't get the chance to ask you this the other day, but are you seeing anyone? Don't worry, I won't be mad if you are."

"No, I'm not seeing anyone. There are some rumors that I am seeing someone, but those aren't true," Beca answered, chuckling a little after she finished speaking.

"I read one of those gossip magazines a couple weeks ago and it said you were dating Cara Delevingne," Chloe said, chuckling along with Beca. "Have you dated anyone since we broke up?" She asked a few moments later.

Beca hesitated for a split second before she answered Chloe's question. "I haven't officially dated anyone, but I did hook up with a girl at a party. At least, I think I did. I was really drunk that night, and I still can't remember everything that happened."

Chloe could tell that Beca hadn't told her everything, so she decided to ask about it. "What else? I know there's something you're not telling me."

Beca cursed in her head and then tried to come up with a way to deflect Chloe's question. "Uh, it's nothing. It's not that big of a deal, Chlo-"

"Then you shouldn't have any problem telling me. You promised to be honest with me, Beca. Now spill. What is it?" Chloe asked.

"I, uh…" Beca trailed off, trying to figure out the right way to word this. "I'm also kinda hooking up with someone right now. I mean, not at this very instant, but you get what I mean," she finished, biting her lip and sighing softly to herself.

As much as she didn't want to care, Chloe couldn't help but feel an ache in her chest. "Well, are you going to tell me who it is?" She asked.

"You want to know? I didn't think that you'd want to," Beca said in surprise.

"Yeah, I want to know," Chloe said. This was partially true; the redhead did want to know who Beca was sleeping with, but at the same time also didn't. "So? Who is it?"

"Camila Cabello," Beca finally said after hesitating for another moment. The brunette closed her eyes and sighed softly as she awaited Chloe's response.

"Oh, really?" Chloe was a bit surprised by Beca's answer, to say the least. "I didn't think she was into girls."

"Well, I didn't think you were into girls either, so I guess you learn something new everyday," Beca replied with a nervous chuckle.

"I guess you do," Chloe said, not finding Beca's comment to be funny in the least bit. "How long has this been going on?"

"About a year now, actually," Beca said, scratching the back of her head. "But not many people know about it. You, Jesse, Benji, and Chicago are the only people I've told. Camila and I don't want it to get into the public eye, which is why we're keeping it a secret."

"Ah, I see." Chloe paused to throw a few more punches, speaking again after she had done so. "This isn't a serious thing, right? I mean, I don't care if it is, but I was just wondering."

"No, it's not that serious. Even though it's been going on for awhile, we haven't done it a lot," Beca said, feeling her face heat up as she said those last few words. "We only meet up once or twice a month since both of us are so busy," she added.

"Oh," Chloe said, throwing a few more punches before she spoke again. "I'm not going to ask if the sex is good or not. This wouldn't still be going on if it wasn't at least decent," she stated, punching the bag harder than ever before.

Beca winced at Chloe's words for a second time. "I'm sorry, Chlo. I didn't want to tell you this because I didn't want to make you upset," she said.

"This isn't any easier for me than it is for you," Chloe said, throwing a couple more punches. "But I'm just going to have to deal with it, even if it sucks."

"I can end the arrangement if you want me to," Beca offered. "We haven't seen each other in a while. I don't think she'd be hurt by it."

"I don't want you to end it because of me. You shouldn't end it unless you want to. Besides, we both know that you enjoy sex more than Taco Bell," Chloe stated harshly. "Look, I have to go. I'm in the middle of my workout anyways. Bye, Beca," she said, ending the phone call before Beca had a chance to respond.

Beca closed her eyes and sighed when the line went dead. She opened her eyes a few moments later, putting her phone back in her pocket before running her fingers through her hair. "That sure went great," she muttered to herself.

Jesse walked in as Beca said that. "What went great?" He asked as he sat down across from her and buckled his seatbelt.

"I was being sarcastic, Jesse," Beca said irritably. "I decided to give Chloe a call. It was actually okay until I told her about Camila. Everything fell to shit after that."

"It couldn't have gone that badly. What did she say before she hung up?" Jesse asked before taking a sip from his glass of water.

"She said 'bye' and then hung up on me before I could say anything else," Beca answered, running her fingers through her hair again. "I shouldn't have called her in the first place. She's probably even angrier at me now."

"Shit, dude. That sucks," Jesse said, putting a hand on Beca's shoulder in sympathy. "I don't know what else to say other than that you should answer her calls."

"That's if she ever calls again," Beca said, sighing heavily. "I doubt I'll be getting a call from her anytime soon after how that last one went."

"Well, if she does call you, you better answer her," Jesse said, chuckling a little. "Keep your head up, Beca. Chloe can't stay mad at you for forever," he said, trying to cheer the brunette up.

"I honestly wouldn't be surprised if she did," Beca said, shaking her head. "Ugh, I'm so stupid. Why did I have to be such a fucking asshole, Jesse? Why didn't I just call her back all those times?"

"I don't know, Beca. I'm not you. What I do know is that it's okay to make mistakes. You're not perfect, and neither is anyone else on this planet. It's okay to make mistakes because that's what makes us human," Jesse started. "However, it's not okay to make a mistake and proceed to do nothing about it. Chloe's given you a chance to fix the mistakes you've made. That's got to count for something, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Beca said, nodding her head. "How's Aubrey? I heard you talking on the phone with her earlier," she said, changing the subject.

"She's good. Law school has been stressing her out a little bit, but I helped her calm down," Jesse answered with a big smile.

A smile made its way onto Beca's face as well. "You really love her, don't you?" She asked, chuckling a little and shaking her head.

"I plan on marrying that girl someday," Jesse replied, his smile growing even wider as he said that. "I love her more than anything in this world."

"Yeah, I know how you feel," Beca said, looking down as her smile slowly faded away.

"Chloe loves you, Beca," Jesse reminded her. "You'll get her back. I know you will."

"You really think so?" Beca asked, biting her lip a little.

"Yeah, I do," Jesse said genuinely. "I don't know when it'll be, but I'm certain that you two will end up together. You love each other too much to let each other go."

Beca nodded her head before looking down again. "Chloe is the best thing that's ever happened to me. I don't know what I'll do if I lose her," she said softly.

"Well, she's given you a chance to fix your mistakes, so don't take that chance for granted," Jesse said, patting Beca on the shoulder before looking out the window to see the lights of Madrid. "Hey, it looks like we're here."

Beca looked out the window and smiled when she saw the city. "Yeah, it does." The brunette then turned back to Jesse. "Thanks for listening to me and giving me advice. I really appreciate it," she said.

"What are friends for?" Jesse asked with a smile before standing up. "I'm gonna go wake Benji up. He's sleeping in the cabin."

"He's been sleeping this whole time, hasn't he? He must be really tired or something," Beca replied with a chuckle.

"Well, this flight wasn't a very long one, but we have been going nonstop for over a month now," Jesse pointed out.

In San Francisco, Chicago was heading out of the locker room and towards the parking lot of the 49ers' practice facility. He was exhausted from training and was probably going to fall asleep as soon as he got back to his apartment. When he got to his car, he put his equipment in the trunk and then closed it. Chicago took his phone out from his pocket as he walked to the driver's side door, and his eyes went wide when he saw the first notification on the screen. _One missed call from...Stacie?_

The young man's hands started to shake as he unlocked his phone and tapped the phone app. When he did this, he saw that Stacie had not only called him but had left a voicemail as well. Chicago stood there as he debated whether or not to listen to it. A couple minutes later, he finally came to a conclusion, deciding to wait until he was back at his apartment to listen to the voicemail.

Stacie and the voicemail were all Chicago could think about as he drove home. _What could she have possibly said in the voicemail? Why did she even try to call me in the first place? It's not like she wants to see me. Or does she?_ These were some of many questions that raced through Chicago's head as he drove down the busy San Francisco streets. This was stressing him out big time; the young man swore that he could hear his heartbeat echoing throughout his apartment building's parking garage as he walked towards the elevator.

Once he was in his apartment, Chicago got himself a glass of chocolate milk before sitting down at the counter and opening up his phone. His thumb hovered above Stacie's name, debating on whether or not to listen. He then took a deep breath and pressed play before holding it up to his ear to listen.

"Hey, Chic. I'm calling you back because you called me a little while ago but didn't leave a message. Call me back when you get this, okay? You don't have to if you butt-dialed me, though. Congrats on getting drafted by the Niners, by the way. I know you're going to be great. Talk to you soon!"

Chicago replayed the voicemail a couple times, smiling as she listened to Stacie's voice. After listening to it once more, Chicago put his phone in his pocket and grabbed his glass of milk before going into the living room. He turned on his PS4 and chose FIFA 19 when the menu came up. As he waited for the game to load, the young man thought of what he should say to Stacie. _Should I ask her about her boyfriend? No, that would be weird. She should be the one to bring him up. After all, she didn't tell you about him on purpose._ When the game finished loading, Chicago pressed play and then chose his team. He decided to play as Manchester United against Liverpool. Before he started the game, the young man took his phone out of his pocket to call Stacie. After he pressed the call button, Chicago brought his phone up to his ear and took a few deep breaths as the phone rang. _Please answer. Please answer,_ he thought to himself as the phone continued to ring.

Finally, he heard Stacie's voice on the other end of the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, Stacie. How are you?" Chicago asked, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Hey, Chic. I'm good. How are you?" Stacie asked.

"I'm doing pretty well," Chicago said, smiling at the sound of her voice. "We had a tough training session today, but I'm drinking chocolate milk to stay strong," he added with a chuckle.

Stacie giggled at Chicago's last few words. "Chocolate milk? I thought you'd be drinking a Gatorade or some other sports drink," she said, giggling a little more.

"Chocolate milk helps build strong and healthy bones," Chicago explained. "I had some gatorade during the training, but I always drink chocolate milk afterwards. So, how's medical school? I assume you're at the top of your class."

"Medical school is great. I'm not number one in my class, but I am close to the top," Stacie answered, a smile on her face as well. "How do you like San Francisco so far?" She asked.

"I love San Fran. I can see why so many people enjoy it here. Beca told me that San Francisco is her third favorite city behind LA and Seattle," Chicago said with a chuckle. He then took a sip of his chocolate milk before speaking again. "Hey, would you maybe want to go get some coffee tomorrow? I have early morning training session but I'll be off for the rest of the day after that. I understand if you're busy tomorrow, of course."

"No, I can. What time would it be? I have two classes tomorrow but I should have enough time for coffee between them," Stacie replied.

"Uh, yeah. I mean we can go either in between or after your classes if that would work for you. mean, depending on what time your second class is, I guess. It's up to you, really. I'd just really like to see you since we haven't seen each other in awhile," Chicago said, mentally facepalming himself for rambling on so much.

"Yeah, me too. It's kinda crazy that we ended up in the same city, isn't it?" Stacie asked with a chuckle.

"It is, but I'm glad we did. It's nice to have a friend here," Chicago stated, sighing happily to himself. "Anyways, I just wanted to call and say hi. Text me when you're free tomorrow and I'll meet you at Saint Frank's Coffee on Polk Street. Does that sound good?"

"Yeah, sounds good." There was a moment of silence before Stacie spoke again. "Hey, did you mean to call me the other day, or was it an accident?"

"Uh, yeah. I was going to leave you a message but my phone died before I could do so. I have yet to get good wifi here, so I have to keep my phone plugged in for almost the whole day," Chicago explained. "I'll see you tomorrow at Saint Frank's, okay?"

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow. Have a nice night, Chic. I'm really glad that you called," Stacie said, a smile still on her face. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Stacie," Chicago said, ending the call and sitting down on the couch. He then pressed the play button on his PS4 controller which started the game between Manchester United and Liverpool.

"Who was that, babe?" A male voice called from the kitchen of Stacie's apartment.

"That was Chicago, an old friend of mine. I told you about him before, remember?" Stacie called back.

"Oh yeah. He played football for Georgia if I remember correctly," the guy said as he sat down next to Stacie on the couch. "How was your day today? I didn't get the chance to ask you earlier," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist and then kissing her.

"It was good, but it wasn't very eventful. How was your day, Logan?" Stacie asked with a smile.

"It was good. I got to give a Caesarian section to a cat earlier, so that was fun," Logan said with a chuckle. "And it's not as gross as someone might think it is," he added. "My day got a whole lot better when I came home to you, though."

Stacie blushed even harder when Logan said this. "Thanks, babe," she said, smiling shyly at her boyfriend. She then leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "For the record, my day got a lot better when you came home," she murmured against his lips.

"Is that so?" Logan asked, playfully raising an eyebrow at Stacie. "How much better?" He asked, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"So much better," Stacie replied, leaning their foreheads together for a moment before connecting their lips again.

"I missed you so much for that first year when I was here alone. You have no idea how happy and excited I was when you told me that you were going to move here," Logan said with a huge smile on his face.

"I missed you too, but I'm here now and that's all that matters," Stacie said, the smile on her face as big as the one on Logan's. "Well, we should probably get ready for bed now. I should, at least. I had a long day today, and I'm gonna have an even longer one tomorrow," she said, standing up from the couch and starting to walk towards the bathroom.

"Can I join you for your shower?" Logan asked, smirking a little.

"Do you really think you have to ask that?" Stacie said, chuckling and then winking at Logan.

Logan smirked even more and then got up to follow Stacie. He allowed his girlfriend to take his hand and lead him into the bathroom, making sure to close the door behind them once they were inside.

 **We know this chapter didn't have a lot happen in it besides a few phone calls, but these first few chapters are going to set up the entire story. And now as you guys can see, Logan is not a dog. We got a couple messages asking if he was, and he's not lol. Anyways, tell us what you thought of the chapter.**

 **Until Next Time.**


	3. Chapter 3: Rubbing Salt in the Wound

Chapter 3: Rubbing Salt in the Wound

Chicago was sitting in a booth at Saint Frank's, waiting for Stacie to show up. He was wearing his favorite beanie along with a flannel shirt and some blue jeans. It wasn't very warm in San Francisco in the beginning of August, so most people were wearing jackets and pants rather than tank tops and shorts. The young man repeatedly checked the watch on his wrist as he anxiously awaited Stacie's arrival, tapping his foot on the floor as well.

Stacie ended up arriving at the coffee shop a few minutes early. A smile instantly appeared on her face when she saw Chicago, and the tall brunette hurried over to him. "Hey!" She said, giving him a quick hug before sitting down across from him. "It's so good to see you again, Chic."

"It's good to see you too, Stacie. It really is," Chicago said with a smile. He then took a sip of his coffee, admiring how beautiful the girl across from him was at the same time. "You look great," the young man said, gesturing towards her.

"Thanks, Chic. You don't look too bad yourself," Stacie said, winking back at Chicago.

Chicago couldn't help but blush at Stacie's compliment. "So, how do you like San Fran so far? I didn't get the chance to ask you that last night."

"I absolutely love this city. I might love it more than Seattle, actually," Stacie replied, chuckling a little.

"I have a feeling that I'll love this place just as much as Seattle once I get used to being here," Chicago said, taking another sip of coffee before speaking again. "Can I get you something to drink?" He asked.

"Yeah, sure. What's that you got there?" Stacie asked curiously.

"It's just a regular black coffee. I'm pretty boring," Chicago answered with a chuckle. "But they have all kinds of coffees and teas here. I'm sure you'll find something you like."

"Yeah, they do have a lot of coffees and teas," Stacie said as she looked at the menu. "I don't know what to get. There's so many options."

"Would you like me to help you pick one?" Chicago asked.

"Yeah, that would be great. As long as you don't make me get a regular black coffee," Stacie joked, giggling a little after she finished speaking.

"Don't worry, I won't," Chicago answered, smiling at Stacie's adorable giggle. After looking at the menu for a little while longer, they decided on the caramel chocolate frappuccino. "Don't get out your money. This one's on me," Chicago said, smiling softly.

"Really? Thank you, Chic. That's so sweet of you," Stacie said, smiling back at her friend. "Next time we come here, I'll pay for your regular black coffee," she promised, making Chicago chuckle a little.

""Sounds good to me," Chicago said. He was anxious to talk about the whole boyfriend situation, but he was hoping that Stacie would bring it up so he wouldn't have to. "So, are you living in a house or an apartment?" He asked.

"I'm living in an apartment that's only a couple minutes away from downtown," Stacie said. "What about you? I'm sure that you're living in a very fancy place since you're making that NFL money now."

"I mean, where I'm at is pretty awesome," Chicago said, chuckling a little bit. "It feels really big for just one person, though. It feels too big, to be honest," he added. The young man then tried to think of another way to get Stacie to tell him about her boyfriend but didn't come up with anything, so he just decided to ask her about it. "Hey, can I ask you about something?"

"Yeah, of course. What's up?" Stacie asked before taking a sip of her frappuccino.

"When were you going to tell me that you had a boyfriend?" Chicago asked. "We agreed that I'd take you out on a proper date after we both finished college, remember?" He reminded her.

"H-how did you find out?" Stacie stuttered, a surprised look on her face.

"Well, when I called you last week, your answering machine said, 'I'm either at school, work, or with my handsome boyfriend Logan.' That's how I found out," Chicago stated in a calm but firm voice.

"I…" Stacie started, unsure of how she should respond. "I meant to tell you, Chic. I really did. I was just waiting for the right time, that's all. I'm sorry you had to find out that way," the tall brunette finished, looking down as she spoke.

Chicago looked down for a moment as well. "Did that night we had mean anything to you, Stacie?" He asked, looking back up at the girl sitting across from him. "It feels like it didn't mean much, considering the fact that you kept this from me," he added, unable to hide the hurt in his voice.

"Of course that night meant something to me, Chic. That night meant everything to me," Stacie said genuinely, taking one of Chicago's hands in hers. "Like I said before, I was planning on telling you. I was just waiting for the right ti-"

"And when was that gonna be, Stacie?" Chicago asked, pulling his hand away from hers. "How long have you been with this Logan guy? Give me a straight answer."

Stacie bit her lip and sighed, looking down again as well. "About a year and a half," she said quietly, closing her eyes and bracing herself for Chicago's reaction.

"You kept this from me for that long?" Chicago said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Wow. What happened to us telling each other everything?"

"I don't know, okay?" Stacie replied, taking a shaky breath before continuing. "I'm sorry, Chicago. I should've told you as soon as we got together, but I didn't. I made a mistake, and I'm sorry."

Chicago looked down again, and a blanket of silence fell over the two of them. "Is he good to you?" He asked a few moments later, staring at the coffee mug in his hand.

Stacie bit her lip and nodded her head. "Yeah, he is," she said, glancing up at Chicago for a brief moment before looking down again.

"Good, because I'd have to kick his ass if he wasn't," Chicago said, smiling softly for a split second. He looked back up at Stacie and took a deep breath before speaking again. "I have to say, it does suck that I only just found out about this, and it sucks that I found out the way I did. However, if he treats you well and he makes you happy, then I don't have a problem with it," the young man stated. "Any guy who doesn't treat you like a queen doesn't deserve you," he added, getting out the money to pay for her frappuccino and then standing up. "I'll see you around, Stacie," Chicago said, waving at her and then walking away, leaving the tall brunette to her thoughts.

Stacie turned to watch Chicago leave and then turned back around when he was gone. _Way to go, Stacie. You just broke your best friend's heart_ , she thought to herself. The tall brunette sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, leaving the coffee shop after she finished her frappuccino. As she walked out of the coffee shop, Stacie replayed some of Chicago's words in her head. _Any guy who doesn't treat you like a queen doesn't deserve you_. These words made her smile, for nobody had ever said something that nice to her. Even Logan hadn't said something like that.

Still, Stacie truly loved Logan. As much as it hurt to see Chicago so torn up about it, Logan made her the happiest she had been in a long time. As she walked down the sidewalk in the direction of her apartment, Stacie thought about another thing that Chicago had said to her. _However, if he treats you well and he makes you happy, then I don't have a problem with it._ The tall brunette smiled to herself again, as these words gave her hope that she and Chicago could still be friends despite everything that had happened.

In New York, Chloe had just finished up her shift at Juliana's, another restaurant she worked at. The redhead had closed up the piano and was now waiting by the kitchen, since the chefs always made a meal for her to take home. As she was waiting, a handsome waiter named Freddie came up to her. "Great show tonight, Chloe," he said with a smile.

"Thanks, Freddie. Great service tonight," Chloe replied, smiling back at him and then giggling a little.

Freddie smiled even wider when Chloe giggled. "Thanks. I try my best," he said with a chuckle. "So, what have you been up to lately? Outside of work, I mean."

"Not a lot, really. I don't have many friends in the city, so I don't do much outside of work," Chloe said, taking a sip of her water. "I do workout every morning and call my friends that aren't in New York, though," she added, smiling at the twenty-eight year-old man. "What about you?"

"Well, I'm almost done with my residency for medical school, so I'm about to become a certified pediatrician," Freddie answered, running his fingers through his curly black hair.

"Really? That's awesome!" Chloe said enthusiastically. "I assume you won't be working here anymore once you become a pediatrician?"

"I still have about two months before I'm done, but yeah. Once I find a job at a hospital, I'll probably be done here," Freddie said, smiling at the redhead's reaction. "You know, working here has become so much better since you got here, Chloe. You lighten everyone's mood, including mine."

Chloe blushed at Freddie's words. "Thank you. I try to be positive and optimistic, so I'm glad it's working," she replied.

"It also helps that you're easy to look at," Freddie said, blushing a little as well. "Seriously, you're by far the sexiest redhead I've ever met. And you're the most beautiful girl at this restaurant, which is saying something because there are some really attractive women who work here," he rambled on, stopping himself after a moment. "I'm sorry. I don't me to be so blunt, but it's true. Your significant other is pretty damn lucky, whoever they are."

Chloe smiled and chuckled a little before shaking her head. "There's no significant other, actually. There hasn't been one for five years," she said, biting her lip and looking down after she finished speaking.

"What?" Freddie asked, a surprised look on his face. "Well, whoever let you go is a dumbass," he said, smiling sympathetically at her. "I haven't been with someone in awhile, either. My last girlfriend dumped me for my high school nemesis at a class reunion."

"Ouch. That's rough," Chloe said, a sympathetic smile on her face as well. "Well, she's a dumbass for dumping you. I doubt that your high school nemesis was much of an upgrade, if even an upgrade at all," she added, chuckling some more.

"I mean, he does play for the Boston Celtics. I can see why she would leave me for a professional basketball player," Freddie said with a chuckle. "I guess we both are lonely souls, then," said, gazing into Chloe's eyes as he spoke. "You look beautiful tonight, by the way. Very, very beautiful," Freddie added, a handsome smile spreading across his face.

"Thank you, Freddie. You look handsome tonight as always," Chloe said, smiling and then winking at him.

"Thank you." Freddie then bit his lip and looked down for a moment before making eye contact with her again. "Would you maybe want to get out of here? I'm not looking for anything serious, by the way. I just feel like we could use each other's company tonight," he said in a low, sexy voice.

Chloe hesitated for a moment. As much as she wanted to say yes, there was something holding her back. "I appreciate the offer, Freddie, but I can't. Not tonight, at least."

"Okay, that's alright. I understand. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Freddie said kindly, leaning over and kissing Chloe on the cheek before turning to leave.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow," Chloe said, smiling and waving at Freddie as he walked away. Once he was gone, the redhead ran her fingers through her hair and sighed. _Why didn't you say yes, Chloe?_ She asked herself. _You haven't dated anyone in five years. What's the harm in having a fling? Beca has one, so why can't you?_ A few minutes later, one of the chefs brought out a box food for her. Chloe thanked him and then walked home to her apartment.

When she got to her apartment, Chloe sat down on the couch and started to eat her dinner. As she was eating, her mind wandered back to Freddie. _You should've said yes, Chloe_ , she scolded herself, sighing and then shaking her head. After dinner, she took a shower before getting ready for bed, making sure to wash her face and brush her teeth. As she lay down in bed, she took out her phone and called Chicago.

Chicago answered a few moments later. "Hey, Chloe. What's up?" He asked.

"I'm an idiot, that's what up," Chloe said, groaned, letting out another sigh. "I'm a total idiot."

"Hey, you're not an idiot," Chicago said. "What happened?"

"I told you about Freddie, right?" Chloe asked.

"No, I don't think so. Who is Freddie?" Chicago asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He's an incredibly handsome waiter who works at Juliana's. He's super nice to me and compliments me all the time. He has curly black hair and dreamy green eyes…" Chloe trailed off and paused for a moment before continuing. "Anyways, he asked me if I wanted to come home with him tonight. I said no, but I really wanted to say yes. I'm not looking for anything serious right now, but I haven't had sex in five years. I need to get back in the game and he gave me the perfect opportunity to do so, but I rejected him."

"Why don't you just call him and say that you changed your mind?" Chicago suggested.

"I can't do that, Chic. That would make me seem desperate, and I'm not that kind of girl," Chloe said. "And I don't just want this because I'm sexually deprived. I kinda want to get back at Beca too. I don't want to use Freddie like that, though. That would be really shitty of me."

"I don't know what else to tell you, then," Chicago said with a shrug of the shoulders. "Stacie and I went out for coffee today," he mentioned a few moments later.

"Really? Tell me how it went," Chloe said, leaning back against the headboard of her bed.

"It was okay. She told me about her boyfriend. They've been dating for a year and a half now," Chicago answered, sighing softly.

"Holy shit. Did she tell you why she kept it from you for so long?" Chloe asked, running her fingers through her hair.

"She said that she was waiting for the right time to tell me, but that seems like an excuse to me," Chicago replied, scratching the back of his head.

"Well, what did you say in response?" Chloe asked.

"I asked her if he was good to her, and she said yes. That's what matters to me the most. I just want to make sure that whoever she's with is treating her right," Chicago said genuinely.

Chloe smiled at Chicago's words. "You're a good guy, Chic. I hope you know that."

"Thanks, Chloe," Chicago said, a smile now on his face as well. "And you're not an idiot. You're one of the smartest people I know," he added.

"Thank you," Chloe said, sighing to herself before speaking again. "What do you think I should do about Freddie?"

Chicago thought to himself for a moment before answering Chloe's question. "Well, you don't want to seem desperate and you don't want to use him, so I wouldn't do anything unless you want to be in a relationship with him."

"He said that he wasn't looking for anything serious, though," Chloe said, biting her lip. "What do you say now?"

"Tell him that you're also not looking for anything serious and that you'd like to take him up on his offer. If you want this, then go for it. Nothing's stopping you from doing so," Chicago stated.

Chloe smiled and nodded before taking a deep breath. "I'm gonna call him," she said, her smile growing wider. "I'll talk to you later. Goodnight, Chic."

"Goodnight, Chloe. I'll talk to you later," Chicago said, ending the call after he finished speaking.

After her call with Chicago ended, Chloe scrolled through her contacts and stopped when she got to Freddie's name before pressing it and hitting the call button. It rang a few times before Freddie picked up. "Hello?"

"Hey, Freddie. It's me," Chloe replied, smiling softly when she heard his voice.

"Hey, Chloe. You're calling me rather late," Freddie said with a chuckle before he spoke up again. "What's up?"

"I want to apologize for rejecting you earlier. It wasn't because I don't like you or anything. I just got in my own head, that's all," Chloe explained. The redhead paused for a moment before speaking again. "Also, I've changed my mind. I'd like to take you up on your offer."

A smile instantly appeared on Freddie's face when Chloe said that. "That's great. Like I said earlier, I'm not really looking for anything serious like a relationship. It's just been awhile since the last time I had sex, and I wanted to start again with a beautiful girl like you."

Chloe blushed at Freddie's words. "I'm not looking for a relationship either. I just need to get back in the game. I haven't had sex in five years, believe it or not," she said with a chuckle.

Freddie smiled and laughed at Chloe's comment, scratching his head before speaking again. "You know, I'm not doing anything right now…" He mentioned, the smile on his face turning into a smirk. "Would it be cool if I came over?"

"Yeah, of course," Chloe replied, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"Cool. I'll be over in twenty minutes. Sound good?" Freddie asked.

"Sounds good. I'll see you then, Freddie. I'm looking forward to it," Chloe stated genuinely, biting her lip a little after she finished speaking.

"Me too. I'll see you in a bit, Chloe," Freddie said before ending the phone call and leaving his apartment.

About twenty-five minutes later, Freddie took out his phone and texted Chloe.

 **Freddie:** I'm here ;)

After he sent the message, Freddie knocked on Chloe's door and smiled when the redhead opened it a few moments later. "Wow," he said, biting his lip as admired the redhead, who was wearing an oversized t-shirt and pink underwear.

Chloe blushed and then stepped aside so Freddie could come in. "Thanks again for coming," she said with a smile.

"Thank you for having me over," Freddie said with a smile before took off his jacket and hung it up on the coat rack. The twenty-eight year-old was wearing an unbuttoned navy flannel with a white t-shirt underneath along with some dark blue jeans. Chloe had to admit that he looked sexy as hell. "So, uh, would you like to get started?"

"I don't know. Would you?" Chloe said, playfully raising an eyebrow at Freddie.

"Yes, I would like to get started," Freddie said with a smile, closing the door behind him and then stepping towards Chloe. His hands went to her waist and his smile grew even wider. "May I kiss you?" He asked sweetly.

Chloe bit her lip and then nodded her head. "Yes, you may," she whispered, smiling softly as she gazed into Freddie's eyes.

Freddie smirked and then leaned in, pressing his lips against Chloe's as he ran his hands up and down her sides. "Mmm, your lips are soft," he mumbled, leaning in for a second kiss after pulling away for a moment.

"So are yours," Chloe mumbled back, smiling into the second kiss and sighing with content. The redhead then pulled away a few moments later to catch her breath. "Wow. You're a really good kisser," she murmured with a giggle.

"I have had a lot of practice," Freddie pointed out before picking Chloe up and wrapping her legs around his waist. "You're so damn sexy," he whispered, pushing the redhead up against the wall and moving his lips to her neck.

Chloe didn't say anything in response at first, instead letting another contented sigh fall from her lips as Freddie started to kiss her neck. "Mmm, that feels good," she murmured, running her fingers through his hair and tugging at the ends of it.

"It's about to feel even better," Freddie whispered, grinding his hips against hers as he sucked a few hickeys into her skin. "Soon you'll be screaming my name and begging me for more," he mumbled, rolling his hips a little harder with each thrust.

Chloe gasped a little before letting out a soft moan. "Shit," she whimpered, closing her eyes and biting her lip in an attempt to prevent herself from moaning

Freddie moaned before pulling his head away from Chloe's neck for a moment. "Where's your bedroom?" He asked before moving his lips back to hers. He too hadn't had sex in five years, so it was safe to say that he was pretty turned on at this point.

"It's down the hallway. First door on the left," Chloe mumbled against his lips. The redhead was pretty turned on as well, and she could feel the tension between them growing by the second.

After she said this, Freddie carried her down the hallway and into her bedroom, not bothering to close the door behind him. He walked over to her bed and lay her down before taking off both of his shirts, revealing his toned upper body. Once he had done this, he climbed onto the bed and got on top of Chloe, kissing her lips passionately.

Chloe deepened the kiss by cupping Freddie's face in her hands and slipping her tongue in his mouth. "Have I told you that you're a really good kisser?" She murmured softly.

"You have, but I don't mind you telling me again," Freddie said with a chuckle before kissing her again. He wrapped his arms around Chloe's body and pulled her onto his lap, allowing her tongue to explore his mouth for a little bit.

"Good, because I'm going to keep telling you that," Chloe replied, chuckling along with Freddie before focusing on the kiss. She explored his mouth with her tongue, engaging in a brief battle for dominance with his tongue as well.

Freddie then took off Chloe's shirt and smiled when he saw that she wasn't wearing a bra. "Fuck," he said, admiring her figure for a moment before pulling into her another kiss. "You're so fucking hot," he murmured, tugging at her bottom lip with his teeth.

Chloe blushed and then whimpered a little when Freddie tugged at her lip with his teeth. "Shit, Freddie," she cursed under her breath, pulling away from the kiss only to reconnect their lips a moment later.

While they were kissing, Freddie moved a hand to one of Chloe's breasts and started to knead it gently. "Do you enjoy giving head?" He whispered before letting out a soft groan when the redhead started to grind on him.

"Mmhm. I enjoy receiving it too," Chloe whispered back, winking at Freddie as she started to grind harder and faster.

Freddie moaned as she said that, helping her grind harder on him by moving his hands down to her bum. "Will you go first? You're making my jeans really tight," he said in a deep voice, moaning again as his jeans grew even tighter.

Chloe chuckled and nodded her head. "I'll go first, but only if you go after," she said, leaning her forehead to Freddie's as she continued to grind on him.

"Oh don't worry, I will," Freddie said, smiling at the girl on top of him before reaching down to unbutton his jeans.

Once Freddie had unbuttoned his jeans, Chloe pulled them down his legs and smirked when she saw the bulge in his boxers. "Wow. I didn't realize that I was making your jeans that tight," she observed, giggling a little bit.

"Well, not having sex for five years means you get excited a lot easier than usual." Freddie said with a chuckle before he leaned in and kissed her lips. "I'm not complaining, though. You're so good at this, Chloe. You know exactly what to do to turn me on."

Chloe smirked at Freddie's words. "I've been told that before, so I'm glad that it's still true," she said once their lips parted.

"Why don't you show me just how good you are?" Freddie asked in a provocative tone, a smirk tugging at his lips.

Chloe's smirk grew and she raised an eyebrow at Freddie's challenge. "I knew that you were pent up, but I didn't realize that you'd be this impatient," she replied, giggling a little more.

"I'm sorry. I can't help what you're doing to me right now," Freddie said, looking down so Chloe wouldn't see that he was blushing.

Chloe lifted Freddie's chin up so they were gazing into each other's eyes. The redhead then leaned in and connected their lips in a slow kiss. "I was just kidding around, Freddie," she murmured when their lips parted.

"Oh, okay," Freddie said with a chuckle. Twenty minutes later, they had each performed oral on each other and were about to participate in actual sex. Freddie kissed all over Chloe's body for awhile before he grabbed the box of condoms and took one out. "You ready?" He asked.

Chloe smiled and nodded her head. "Yeah, I'm ready. I've been ready."

Freddie smiled at Chloe's answer. "I'll go slow since neither of us have done this in awhile."

"Thanks, Freddie. That's really thoughtful of you," Chloe replied, smiling even wider.

"Quick question before we start: was the oral okay?" Freddie asked, biting his lip.

"It was amazing, Freddie. You certainly know to use your mouth." Chloe said genuinely. "How was it for you?" She asked a couple moments later.

"It was out-of-this-world amazing," Freddie said with a smile. He then leaned down and gave Chloe a quick kiss on the lips before rolling the condom on. "Let's have some fun, shall we?"

"Yeah, let's have some fun," Chloe said, biting her lip before pulling Freddie down into a fiery, passionate kiss.

Another twenty minutes later, Freddie and Chloe were laying under the sheets together. Both of them were panting a little as they looked up at the ceiling. "Holy shit," Freddie said, chuckling tiredly as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. "That was incredible."

"It certainly was," Chloe said, chuckling tiredly as well. The redhead then turned onto her side so she was facing Freddie. "Thank you, Freddie. I really needed that," she said in a soft voice.

"I really needed that too, so thank you as well," he said, running his fingers through his hair. "So, I have to ask: is this ever going to happen again? Because I'd really like it to, as long as it's okay with you."

"Of course that's okay with me. I'd like it to happen again too. I'd love for it to happen again, actually," Chloe said, smiling back at Freddie.

"Awesome," Freddie said, still smiling. The two of them lay there in silence for awhile until Freddie spoke again. "Since this relationship is strictly sexual, I think that it would be best if we regularly updated each other on our personal lives. If either of us gets in a relationship relationship with someone, then we have to end this. Does that sound good to you?"

Chloe nodded her head. "Yeah, that sounds good to me," she said before closing her eyes and sighing with content. "I really had a great time tonight, Freddie."

"I had a great time tonight too, Chloe," Freddie said with a smile. There was a moment of silence before he spoke again. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course. What is it?" Chloe asked.

"When you said that it's been five years for you, was it with your ex-girlfriend that you talk about every now and then?" Freddie asked curiously. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to," he added quickly.

"No, it's okay. To answer your question: yes, it was with my ex-girlfriend," Chloe said, sighing softly to herself after she finished speaking.

Freddie nodded his head as he listened to Chloe talk. "What happened between you two?"

Chloe was silent for a moment and then took a deep breath before speaking up. "We decided to break up because long distance would've been too hard. We did agree to remain friends, however. We lost touch a few years ago, though," she explained.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Freddie said sympathetically, taking one of Chloe's hands in his and squeezing it gently. "She was stupid for losing touch with you, by the way."

"Yeah, she was," Chloe said before sighing softly to herself again. "As much as I wish that I could've done something to prevent it, it kinda feels like it was bound to happen."

"Have you seen her at all since you broke up? I mean, just to tie up any loose ends or get closure on anything?" Freddie asked.

"Yeah, I have. I saw her last week, actually. She was in town because her band was playing at Madison Square Garden," Chloe answered, a small smile crossing her face when she recalled the memory.

"Wait. The only band who played at the Garden last week was Trio," Freddie said, scratching the back of his head as he pieced everything together in his head. "Is your ex Beca Mitchell?"

"The one and only," Chloe replied, chuckling a little as she said that. "She came to Café d'Amore for dinner the night after her concert."

"She's really hot," Freddie blurted out. He then smiled sheepishly when he realized what he had just said. "Sorry, I realize that's a little insensitive."

Chloe shook her head. "It's okay. I mean, you're not lying," the redhead said, chuckling some more.

"I bet all of the love songs that she writes are about you," Freddie said, playfully wiggling his eyebrows at Chloe.

"Yeah, that's most likely true," Chloe said, blushing and then looking down for a moment.

"You know, Trio actually released a new single a couple days ago," Freddie mentioned.

"Oh, really? I didn't know that. What's it called?" Chloe asked, running her fingers through her hair.

"It's called 'Sound of Your Heart.' It's another love song, which means it's probably about you since Beca wrote it," Freddie said, sitting up. "Do you want to listen to it?" He asked.

Chloe hesitated for a split second and then nodded her head. "Sure, why not?" She replied, sitting up as well.

Freddie put his shirt and boxers back on before getting up to grab his phone and earbuds. "Here, we can share these," he said in reference to the earbuds. Chloe put his flannel on and then smiled gratefully at him before putting one of the earbuds in her ear. Freddie then put the other earbud in his ear and opened the music app, before scrolling down to the song and pressing play.

"Sound of Your Heart"- Shawn Hook

"You were my courage,

My sword and shield.

Grace under pressure,

My wall of steel.

I was a stone,

Weighing us down.

You were the angel I chained to the ground.

I miss the way you undress,

I miss your head on my chest.

Can't stop this bleeding,

Can't stop you leaving.

I'm missing the sound of your heart beating.

Baby, I'm in love with you.

Oh, and I'm missing the sound of your heart beating.

Baby, you were mine to lose.

Oh, and I'm missing the sound of your heart beating."

Chloe smiled as she listened to Beca's voice, which was accompanied by harmony from Benji and Jesse during the chorus. The redhead then focused on the lyrics, which tugged at her heartstrings and caused her to feel an ache in her chest.

"You showed me heaven,

You rang a bell.

I played with matches,

It hurt like hell.

Asleep, awake,

You're all I see.

I can't escape you, can't set you free.

I miss your full moon rising,

Catching a breath in silence.

Can't stop this bleeding,

Can't stop you leaving.

I'm missing the sound of your heart beating.

Baby, I'm in love with you.

Oh, I'm missing the sound of your heart beating.

Baby, you were mine to lose.  
Oh, I'm missing the sound of your heart beating."

Freddie watched Chloe as they listened to the song, and he noticed that the redhead was no longer smiling. He made a mental note of this before focusing back on the song, which was now at its hook.

"Missing you, missing you.

I'm missing the sound of your heart beating.

Missing you, missing you.

I'm missing the sound of your heart beating.

Baby I'm coming, baby I'm coming.

Tell me now, baby I'll come running.

Baby I'm coming, baby I'm coming.

Say the word, baby I'll come running.

Baby, I'm in love with you.

Oh, I'm missing the sound of your heart beating.

Baby, you were mine to lose.  
Oh, I'm missing the sound of your heart beating.

Oh, I'm missing the sound, I'm missing the sound of your beating, beating.

I'm missing the sound of your heart beating.

Missing you, missing you.

Oh, and I'm missing the sound of your heart beating.

Missing you, missing you.

Oh, and I'm missing the sound of your heart beating.

Beating, beating.

Oh, I'm missing the sound of your heart beating."

After the song ended, Chloe took the earbud out and stared blankly at the sheets of her bed. "It's a good song," she murmured before taking a shaky breath. "I'm gonna go get some air." The redhead then got up and put her shorts back on before walking out to the little balcony outside of her bedroom.

Freddie sat there for a few minutes and then went to join Chloe out on the balcony. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up. I should've known that it would upset you," he said quietly.

Chloe sniffled a little bit and then turned to look at Freddie. "It's not your fault, Freddie. The reason why I'm upset has nothing to do with you," she said before turning back to look at the New York City skyline, which lit up the night sky.

"Oh, okay," Freddie said, looking down and shuffling his feet awkwardly. "Would you mind telling me why you're upset?" He asked a few moments later.

"Two years ago, Beca stopped answering my calls. I left her countless voicemails and never heard back from her. For so long, I thought that she didn't care about me anymore," Chloe said, turning towards Freddie. "And then, out of nowhere, she comes back into my life and says that she wants me back, says that she'll do 'whatever it takes' to win me over again. I know that's not true, though. She'll forget all about the promise she made and just go back to fucking random girls at celebrity parties, because that's what she's been doing for the last three years of her life." The redhead then leaned against the railing of the balcony and sighed. "I don't understand why I can't let go and move on from this."

"Don't slap me when I say this, but maybe the reason you can't move on is because you still have feelings for her," Freddie stated. "That would be perfectly reasonable, too. Maybe you won't be able to move on until you get closure from her."

"I know I still have feelings for her, Freddie, and I've tried getting closure so many times. How the hell am I supposed to get closure if she insists on being in my life?" Chloe asked, frustration in her voice. "Sometimes I wish I had never said yes to being her girlfriend. If I hadn't, I wouldn't be so hung up on her five years later."

"Did she make you happy when you were together?" Freddie asked, running his fingers through his hair as he did so.

"Do you think I would be this hung up on her if she didn't?" Chloe asked, looking down as more tears welled up in her eyes. "She was the best thing that ever happened to me, and I lost her as soon as I got on that plane to come here."

"Hey, don't blame yourself. This isn't your fault," Freddie said, putting a hand on Chloe's shoulder. "She's the one who stopped answering your calls. She's the one who ignored your voicemails. She's the one who lost you, not vice versa."

"I still lost her even if this isn't my fault," Chloe said, looking up into his eyes. "I'm nowhere near ready to take her back, and I don't know if I'll ever be. I just wish I could move on so I wouldn't be miserable, you know?"

"Yeah, I get it," Freddie said, scratching the back of his head as he thought of what else he could say. "If you don't want her back in your life, then don't let her back in. This is ultimately up to you. You're not obligated to do anything for her," he stated.

"I'm not doing anything for her. She knows she's gonna have to work for it if she's going to be in my life again," Chloe said, sniffling a little more. After a few moments of silence, she spoke again. "I'm sorry you had to see me like this. I understand if you don't want to have hot, steamy sex with me again."

"Trust me, I still want to have hot, steamy sex with you again. I know I hadn't had sex in awhile until tonight, but I'm smart enough to recognize how fucking amazing the sex we had was." Freddie said with a chuckle. "And don't apologize for getting a little emotional. It's totally cool with me," he added.

"Thank you, Freddie," Chloe said, tucking some of her hair back before walking over to give him a hug. "Other than this little sobfest, I really enjoyed tonight," she said, resting her forehead against his chest. "You're, like, really fucking good at sex," the redhead added, making Freddie chuckle again.

"Thanks, Chloe. I can say the same thing about you," Freddie replied, winking at the redhead after he finished speaking. The two stood out on the balcony for a little while longer before Freddie turned to walk back inside. "I should probably get going now," he said, scratching the back of his head.

Chloe looked at the time and saw it was around midnight before turning back to face Freddie. "It's really late, Freddie. Do you just wanna stay over? The city is pretty dodgy at this time of night," she pointed out. "We can have sex again in the morning," she added, biting her lip and smirking a little.

"Twist my arm, why don't you?" Freddie joked, making Chloe giggle a little. "Sure, I'll stay over. I can sleep on the couch if you want."

"I mean, I was going to offer you my bed since you've already slept on it in another way. I don't mind sharing it," Chloe said, giggling some more.

"Alright, then I'll sleep with you in a non-sexual way," Freddie replied, chuckling a little more.

"Good, it's settled then," Chloe said before walking over to the bed and climbing under the covers, waiting for Freddie to get there before she turned off the lamp.

Freddie went over to the other side of the bed and climbed under the covers. "Goodnight, Chloe," he said, turning his head to look at the redhead next to him.

"Goodnight, Freddie," Chloe said, sighing with content before closing her eyes and falling asleep next to him.

 **Hey guys! We know you probably hated that last part with Chloe sleeping with Freddie. But it is necessary for the story, and we promise it wasn't just to make you mad. It will be explained why Chloe did this in the next chapter. My co-writer isn't going to be able to work on the story a lot this week so we have been working on three chapters in the past few days. I'll post the next one tomorrow. We're still working on the third one.**

 **Until Next Time.**


	4. Chapter 4: Starting Over Again

Chapter 4: Starting Over Again

Beca tapped her foot as she waited at the baggage claim area of the John F. Kennedy International Airport. Trio's tour had ended a month ago, but the brunette was already traveling again. She was in New York because Chloe had called her to inform her that she would be performing at Juilliard. Beca was already on thin ice, so she knew that she couldn't miss this performance no matter what. Chloe had been pretty distant from Beca after she mentioned her arrangement with Camila during that one phone call, so the brunette was going to make the best of this opportunity. She hadn't seen the redhead play piano since the Juilliard audition during their senior year of high school, so it was needless to say that she was excited for this concert.

After she got her luggage from the baggage claim, Beca ordered an Uber to take her to her hotel. Once she had checked into her room and unpacked most of her stuff, she started to get ready for the concert later that evening. The brunette decided to wear a gray plaid suit and a blue scarf since she was trying to go for a casual but dressy look. After she got dressed, she touched up her makeup a little. Once she had done that, she stepped back and looked at her reflection in the mirror. _You got this, Beca. All you have to do is sit there and listen. That shouldn't be too hard, right?_ The brunette took a deep breath before checking the time on her phone. It was a little before six, and Chloe's concert started at seven. With New York's traffic, she would have to leave now if she wanted to get a good seat. Beca checked her appearance one last time before ordering an Uber for the second time that day, this time to take her to the Juilliard campus.

The traffic was awful like Beca had expected it to be, but she managed to get one of the last good seats available. The brunette started flipping through the program once she was in her seat, smiling when she found Chloe's biography. Next to the biography was a picture of the redhead, who looked as beautiful as ever. Beca looked at the picture for a few moments, her smile growing as she did so. She then started to read the biography, which said:

"Chloe Anne Beale is a member of the Class of 2022 at Juilliard. She was born and raised in Portland, Oregon but moved up to Seattle, Washington for her senior year of high school. Ever since she was little, Chloe has had a passion for piano that few others possess. Her parents, Cindy and Patrick, said that Chloe began playing as soon as she got her first piano. While her main focus is on the art of the piano, Chloe has many other talents like singing, dancing, and playing the guitar. Chloe finished at the top of her class at Juilliard and was offered many jobs right out of college. She now works as a resident pianist at Cafe d'Amore and Juliana's Italian Restaurant. In her spare time, Chloe visits low-income elementary schools around the city and teaches children how to play piano. She has received many awards outside of Juilliard, the most recent one being the Bach Medal for promoting the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. Overall, Chloe is an extremely talented and kind person, and her accomplishments are only a small part of why we at Juilliard are so proud to call her one of our own."

Beca was about halfway through the biography when someone cleared their throat. The brunette looked up and saw a man with curly black hair and green eyes. "Excuse me, but are you Beca Mitchell?" He asked.

"Uh, yeah," Beca said, turning to face the man. "May I ask who you are?"

"I'm Freddie. I'm a friend of Chloe's. We work at Juliana's together," the man answered, holding his hand out for Beca to shake.

"It's nice to meet you, Freddie," Beca said, smiling and shaking his hand. "So, I take it you're here to watch Chloe perform?" She asked.

Freddie nodded his head. "Is this seat taken?" He asked, gesturing to the empty seat next to Beca's.

Beca shook her head. "Nope. It's all yours," she said, moving her legs to the side so Freddie could sit down beside her.

Freddie smiled and sat next to her as the lights in the auditorium began to blink, signaling that the show would start soon. "Chloe told me that you just finished your first world tour. Was it fun?" He asked.

"Yeah, it was. I'm still exhausted from it, though. My sleep schedule has been permanently ruined," Beca said with a chuckle.

"I bet," Freddie said, chuckling along with Beca. "So, have you been to one of Chloe's concerts before?"

"I haven't been to one of these concerts, but I have heard her play before. She's absolutely incredible," Beca said, a small smile making its way onto her face.

"Yeah, she really is," Freddie said, a smile on his face as well. "When was the last time you got to hear her play?"

"Oh, man. It's been so long. The last time I heard her play was at her Juilliard audition, which was when we were seniors in high school," Beca answered, scratching the back of her head.

"Are you excited to hear her play again?" Freddie asked, flipping through the program's performers section till he got to Chloe's biography.

"Of course I am. I haven't heard her play in five years. It's been far too long," Beca said, running her fingers through her hair before sighing softly to herself.

Then, the lights dimmed and someone from the Juilliard school board walked onto the stage. "Good evening and welcome to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Fundraiser Concert. We have a real treat for you tonight. Some of our current students will play a few songs, and then we will have a performance by Chloe Beale, one of our most distinguished alumni." As soon as Chloe's name was mentioned, the audience cheered wildly.

"She must be a pretty big deal here," Freddie observed as the people in the audience continued to cheer.

"Yeah, she must be," Beca said, nodding her head in agreement. As the opening speaker talked about Juilliard's partnership with the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Beca couldn't help but feel guilty that she didn't know about all the things Chloe had done in the last five years. From her Bach Medal to her teaching piano to underprivileged kids, Chloe had done so much good with her talents, and Beca hated the fact that she was only just learning about it.

"You know, we listened to "Sound of Your Heart" a few days after it came out," Freddie mentioned, turning his head so he was looking at Beca.

"Really? Did you guys like it?" Beca asked, biting her lip a little.

"Oh yeah, it was great," Freddie said in a genuine tone. "You certainly know how to write hit songs."

"Thanks," Beca said, smiling softly. After a moment of silence, the brunette spoke up again. "Did Chloe say anything about it?"

"Uh, sort of," Freddie said, scratching the back of his head as he trying to recall the moment. "She said that it was a good song. She didn't say much else, though."

Just then, the first performer came out to start off the concert, so the crowd went quiet. Beca tried to focus on the concert, but her mind kept wandering back to what Freddie had said. _She said that it was a good song. She didn't say much else, though._ Freddie's words were all the brunette could think about during the first half of the concert. However, that changed when Chloe walked onto the stage.

"Good evening, everyone. The first song I'll be performing for you is one of the songs I performed for my Juilliard audition. This is 'Titanium' by David Guetta," Chloe stated, getting another round of applause as she sat at the piano.

Beca couldn't help but smile when Chloe said this, and her smile grew even wider when the redhead started to play the song. The brunette began nodding her head to the melody about halfway through the song, and her eyes were on Chloe the entire time. Everything felt so familiar as Beca watched Chloe perform; it almost felt as if the brunette had never stopped listening to the redhead play.

After Chloe finished the song, she stood up from the piano and curtsied as the audience roared in approval. Beca and Freddie were clapping and cheering louder than anyone else, both of them smiling widely as they did so.

The concert ended after Chloe played for another half hour or so. As she curtsied once more, the redhead looked out into the audience and saw Freddie. She smiled at him and then froze when she saw that Beca was next to him. Her heart immediately sped up and she was unable to tear her eyes away from the brunette.

After the curtain closed, everyone left the auditorium and headed into the lobby. Beca and Freddie were making small talk when Chloe came up to them. "Hey, thanks for coming," the redhead said, smiling as she gave Freddie a hug.

"Of course. I wouldn't have missed it," Freddie said, smiling as he hugged Chloe back.

"You were spectacular up there, Chloe," Beca interjected, a small smile spreading across her face as she spoke.

"Thank you, Beca. I'm glad you could make it," Chloe said, smiling softly at the brunette before turning back to Freddie. "Did you like the concert?" She asked.

"Oh yeah. It was a great concert, and it was for an even better cause. You really are amazing at what you do," Freddie said, smiling.

Chloe and Freddie continued to chat while Beca stood there in silence. After awhile, the brunette couldn't take it anymore, and she cleared her throat to get their attention. "Uh, do you guys want to grab a bite to eat somewhere? I'll pay."

"That'd be great," Chloe said, briefly glancing at Beca. "I'm gonna go get my purse from the dressing room. I'll be right back," the redhead stated before she ran off.

"She's really something, isn't she?" Freddie said with a chuckle as he watched Chloe scurry away.

"Yeah, she is," Beca said, nodding her head in agreement. The brunette then looked down, putting her hands in her pockets and shuffling her feet awkwardly. "So, how do you and Chloe know each other again?" She asked after a moment of silence.

"I'm a part-time server at Juliana's. Chloe and I started hanging out a few months ago. She's a really great friend, and I admire her very much. She's one of the most kind-hearted human people on Earth, not to mention one of the most beautiful as well," Freddie said with a smile.

"You're right about that," Beca replied, unable to keep herself from biting her lip and clenching her fist as she listened to Freddie talk about Chloe.

Chloe rejoined them a few moments later. "Let's go get some food now. I'm starving," she said, giggling as she linked her arm with Freddie's. Then, the two of them walked out together, Beca following close behind.

While they walked together, Chloe and Freddie continued their conversation from earlier. As they talked, Beca started walking slower so she wouldn't hear them. After awhile, the brunette noticed that they didn't seem to be going anywhere in particular. "Guys, where are we going?" She asked.

"Oh, the place we're going is just down the street," Chloe said, not even bothering to look back at Beca when she spoke.

"Would you like to tell me what the place is?" Beca asked, a hint of irritation in her voice.

"It's called Francesco's Pizza. We're almost there," Freddie answered, pointing to a sign that was about a block away.

"It's classic New York pizza," Chloe said as they made their way to the end of the block.

"Cool. I've never had New York pizza before," Beca said, smiling softly since Chloe hadn't been harsh towards her for once. When they got to the restaurant, they were brought to a table in the upper part of the building, which gave them a good view of the New York skyline. "So, what's the best pizza here?" Beca asked.

"This might sound gross to you, but my favorite is the lasagna pizza," Freddie said with a chuckle. "What's your favorite, Chloe?" He asked, turning to the redhead.

"The Mediterranean pizza for sure," Chloe said, smiling and taking a sip of her water.

"Well, why don't we get one of each?" Beca suggested. "I'd love to try both," she added, shrugging her shoulders.

"Alright, sounds good. I'm gonna hit the restroom real quick," Freddie stated before getting up and walking away, leaving the two women alone.

"Freddie's pretty cool. I can see why you hang out with him," Beca said, breaking the silence between them.

"Yeah, he is. He's a great friend," Chloe said, nodding her head in agreement before looking down.

"How have you been, Chloe?" Beca asked. "We haven't seen each other in a few months, and we didn't talk much while I was on tour either. What's been going on in your life?"

"Not much, really," Chloe said, still looking down as she shrugged her shoulders.

"There's nothing you could tell me about? Not one thing?" Beca asked, leaning forward and tucking a stray piece of Chloe's hair back behind her ear. "I'm not trying to make you tell me anything. I'm just trying to make things right between us, and I genuinely want to hear what's been going on with lu since the last time we saw each other."

"Not much has been going on, okay?" Chloe said, her tone a little harsher than she intended it to be. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at like you like that. But I'm telling the truth when I say that not much has happened. I don't have much free time because of work, and I teach kids how to play piano if I do. That's it."

"What you're doing for the kids in this city is really awesome, by the way. It's yet another thing about you that amazes me," Beca started genuinely, a small smile on her face.

A small smile made its way onto Chloe's face and she blushed a little as well. "Thanks, Becs," she murmured softly. "You amaze me too," the redhead added, finally looking back up as she said that.

"Thanks, Chlo," Beca said, smiling when Chloe called her by her nickname. "So, how often do you go and teach the kids?"

"I try to go at least once or twice a week. I'd like to go more often, but I don't always have the time," Chloe answered.

"What are you two lovely ladies talking about?" Freddie asked as he made his way back to their table.

"Oh, just how cool it is that Chloe teaches piano to kids at low-income elementary schools," Beca said, smiling at the redhead as she spoke.

Chloe blushed a little more. "I don't understand why you're making this such a big deal. I'm just doing the right thing," she said.

"That may be true, but there are a lot of people who only care about themselves. You've always known what's important, Chlo, and you've put your talents to good use."

Chloe smiled and then shrugged her shoulders. "Like I said before, I'm just doing the right thing. I'm in a position where I'm able to make a positive impact on others' lives, so I'm going to try to do that as much as possible."

"You've definitely made a positive impact on my life," Freddie said, leaning over and kissing Chloe's cheek before they ordered their food. When the pizza arrived at their table a little while later, Freddie spoke up again. "My friend Casey is having a party at his apartment, and he was wondering if we wanted to go."

Beca shrugged her shoulders. "That sounds like fun. Sure, why not?"

"Great. What about you, Chloe? Do you want to go to the party?" Freddie asked.

"Yeah, of course. Let's head over there after we finish dinner. Casey's parties are always fun," Chloe replied with a smile before turning to Beca."Casey works at Juliana's as well. He's a really good cook, and he hosts rooftop parties at his apartment every now and then," she explained.

"Sounds great to me," Beca said with a big smile.

"Awesome. I'll text Casey and let him know that we'll be over in a little bit," Freddie said, a smile on his face as well.

After they finished dinner, the three of them headed over to Casey's apartment. At the party, Beca felt a little out-of-place because she didn't know anyone besides Chloe and Freddie, who had disappeared as soon as they walked up to the roof. To pass the time, Beca took pictures with a couple fans and tried to make small talk with some of the other guests, but her mind was focused on finding one of the two people that she knew at the party.

Beca looked everywhere but was unable to find Chloe, so she decided to ask Casey if he knew where she was. It took her awhile, but the brunette eventually found him. "Hey, Casey. Do you know where Chloe is, by any chance?" She asked.

"She was heading down to the bathroom last time I saw her. That was about fifteen minutes ago, and I haven't seen her since then," Casey replied before taking a sip of beer. "Oh, wait. She's right there."

Beca turned around and smiled when she saw Chloe, who was fixing her dress. The brunette was about to start walking towards the redhead when she saw Freddie, who was fixing the collar of his shirt, right behind her. Beca watched as he leaned in and whispered something to Chloe, and she clenched both of her fists when she saw him kiss her neck. Beca then turned back to Casey. "I'm gonna head out now. Thanks for having me. You sure know how to throw a party, by the way." After she finished speaking, the brunette made her way towards the exit, pushing her way past Chloe and Freddie as she did so.

"Where are you going, Beca?" Chloe asked as Beca brushed past them. When the brunette didn't respond, the redhead sighed and then looked at Freddie. "I'll be right back," she said. Chloe followed Beca to the stairwell and grabbed her hand to stop her from going down the staircase. "Why are you leaving already? We just got here."

"I'm tired," Beca said simply, pulling her hand away and then starting to walk down the stairs.

"Don't bullshit me, Beca," Chloe called after her. "You promised to be honest with me, and I don't think you want to break that promise. Tell me what's wrong," the redhead demanded, crossing her arms and setting her jaw.

Beca stopped and turned to face Chloe. "I am tired, Chloe. I'm tired of third-wheeling. I'm tired of you ignoring me. I'm tired of you acting like I don't exist," she said, unable to hide the hurt in her voice. "I get that you're mad at me, and I would be too if I was you. But can you at least try to acknowledge me?"

"Oh, you mean like how you acknowledged me for the last two and a half years?" Chloe asked, furrowing her eyebrows at Beca. "You're feeling the same way I felt when you didn't make any kind of effort to contact me," the redhead stated in a firm voice, walking down the stairs so she was face to face with the brunette. "I may have been a little harsh to you tonight, but that's nothing compared to the way you treated me. You made me feel like our relationship meant nothing to you, like I was just another girl for your list of conquests!" She said in a loud and angry voice.

"I made a mistake, okay? I made the worst mistake of my life, and I'm trying so hard to fix it. I know I have no right to complain about this. I know I deserve this. I deserve far worse than this, actually," Beca said, her voice surprisingly calm. "You weren't just another girl to me, Chloe. As for our relationship, it was was everything to me, and that's the truth."

"Really? It didn't seem that way when you told me that you're hooking up with Camila," Chloe retorted, raising her voice a little.

"You're hooking up with Freddie!" Beca exclaimed, raising her voice as well. "And don't act like you aren't, because I saw you two come back up to the roof together!"

"So you can have sex but I can't? Is that what you're saying?" Chloe asked, scoffing a laugh. "I hadn't been with anyone in five fucking years because I was waiting for you. I was waiting for you, Beca. I thought that I'd move out to LA after college and that we'd fall in love all over again," she said, looking down as tears welled up in her eyes. "When you told me about Camila, I felt as if I had waited for nothing. Sex doesn't mean anything to you; it's just something that you enjoy doing. Sex has never been anything more than pleasureful physical activity, whether it's with a drunk girl at a party or a fuckbuddy. And don't try to argue, because you know I'm right." There was a moment of silence between them before Chloe spoke again. "To me, sex has always been a way to connect with someone and show them that you love them. That may not be the case with Freddie right now, but it was the case with Tom, Chicago, and you. Especially you," Chloe said, sniffling a little. "I waited half a decade for you, Beca, but I never got a reply."

"Do you even want me back in your life, Chloe?" Beca asked. "Do you? Because it doesn't seem like you do. I feel like I'm carrying a boulder up a mountain. Every time I make a little bit of progress, I slip and fall down the mountain, and the boulder lands on top of me. I want to be in your life again, Chloe. I really do. But I can't fix the mistakes I've made if you won't let me."

"I've wanted you back in my life for a long time, Beca," Chloe said, her voice much calmer than it had been before. "But bringing you back into my life is going to take time, and you need to respect that. You just showed up out of nowhere and then left again for another three months. I'm still getting used to the fact that you're in my life again."

"I didn't leave again because I wanted to. I left again because I had to," Beca said, taking Chloe's hands in hers. "But I'm back now and I won't be going anywhere, unless you don't want me around," she said, squeezing her hands gently.

"I don't want you to to go anywhere, Beca. Freddie isn't going anywhere either, though. He's my best friend in the city, so if you're going to be back in my life, then you're going to have to treat him fairly," Chloe stated. "I'll do the same if and when I meet Camila," the redhead added a few moments later.

"Freddie's a great guy. There's no reason for me to not treat him fairly," Beca replied. "And you won't be meeting Camila unless you run into her on your own," she added, scratching the back of her head and looking down.

"Why not?" Chloe asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"We're not hooking up anymore. She has a boyfriend now, so…" Beca trailed off, shuffling her feet awkwardly.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Chloe said, cringing a little. "Well, I guess we really do have a lot to catch up on. I still don't know how you got your big break. Why don't we go for a walk and you can tell me all about it?"

"Sure. You might not believe me when I tell you how I got my big break, though," Beca said with a chuckle. She then held out her arm for Chloe to take. "Well, shall we?"

"Yes, we shall," Chloe said, smiling and linking her arm with Beca's. The two women then descended the staircase and walked into the night, leaving their troubles behind them as they did so.

 **Looks like Beca and Chloe are starting to get somewhere. Don't hate on Freddie, okay? He and Chloe won't be hooking up for super long, but he is a part of the story and he does have an important role to play as Chloe's actual friend. The next chapter will be happier, we promise.**

 **Until Next Time.**


	5. Chapter 5: Welcome to My Crib

Chapter 5: Welcome to My Crib

"Here's your iced caramel macchiato, milady," Beca said in a mock British accent as she handed a coffee mug to Chloe. The brunette then sat down across from Chloe and took a sip of her mocha cappuccino. "How was your flight?"

"It was good. I've never flown first class before, so thank you for making that happen. It was quite the experience," Chloe replied, chuckling before taking a sip of her iced caramel macchiato.

Beca shook her head. "You don't need to thank me. I wanted you to come out here, so I figured that you might as well come out here in style," she stated. "I can send my private jet next time if you want," the brunette added with a chuckle.

"I don't think that's necessary, but thank you for the offer," Chloe said, chuckling along with Beca. "I'm really glad I'm here," the redhead added, smiling at the brunette before taking another sip of her macchiato.

"Me too. I'm excited to show you around LA. I think you're really gonna like it here," Beca said, smiling back at Chloe. The two girls took sips of their drinks, still feeling a little bit of awkward tension. Beca then cleared her throat and spoke up again. "How's Freddie? He finished his residency, right?"

"Yeah, he did. He's now a certified pediatrician, so he's not working at Juliana's anymore. We still hang out, though," Chloe answered.

"I think I know what you mean by 'hang out,'" Beca said with a smirk, playfully wiggling her eyebrows at Chloe as she pushed her finger through a hole in the hand of her coffee mug.

"Shut up," Chloe said, playfully rolling her eyes at Beca. "We don't always do that, for your information. Sometimes we just watch a movie or go for a walk around the city."

"If you say so," Beca said, shrugging her shoulders. "Do you cuddle with him when you watch movies? You've always been a cuddler."

"Sometimes. Not as much as I cuddled with you, though," Chloe said, giggling a little bit.

"To be fair, you cuddled with me all the time, even if we weren't watching a movie," Beca pointed out, making Chloe giggle even more. A few moments later, Beca spoke up again. "I do have one question for you, though. Is Freddie better than me in bed?" The brunette asked. "I won't be offended if you say yes," she added.

"Well, it's kinda hard to compare you two since you're a girl and he's a guy," Chloe started, running her fingers through her hair as she spoke. "However, I'd have to say that you're better than him. Don't tell him I said that, of course. He might get offended," the redhead added with a chuckle.

"Really? I figured you may have forgotten what sex was like with me since it's been so long," Beca said, biting her lip in an attempt to keep herself from blushing.

"It has been quite awhile, but I could never forget what sex was like with you," Chloe said, biting her lip and trying to keep herself from blushing as well.

Beca then looked down for a moment. "I don't know if I've told you this before, but you were the only person that I ever felt connected to when it came to sex," she said, looking back up at Chloe. "I know we're just friends right now, but I'm not saying that to try and win you back. I just thought you should know that."

Chloe was unable to keep herself from blushing any longer, and she looked down as her face turned bright red. "Th-thanks for telling me, Becs," she stuttered, biting her lip and blushing even more.

"You're welcome, Chlo," Beca said, smiling softly. "So, are your parents still in Seattle, or did they move after you went to Juilliard?"

Chloe shook her head. "They're still in Seattle, although they do visit me quite a lot. What about you? Is your family still in Seattle?"

Beca nodded her head. "Yeah, they are. I'm actually going back up there in a couple weeks for the twins' birthday. I missed their actual birthday because of the tour, so I'm gonna make it up to them by throwing them a surprise party," she said, smiling even wider now.

"That's really sweet of you, Beca," Chloe said, smiling back at the brunette. "I can't believe that they're already eleven," the redhead added with a chuckle. "You know, I still have their going-away presents hanging up on my wall," she mentioned a few moments later.

"Yeah, me too. I also have some of their newer pictures on my wall. No offense to them, but their art has gotten a lot better," Beca said with a chuckle. "Hailee has a real gift for drawing, and Henry's actually gotten into piano. He wanted to learn how to play because of you, and now he wants to go to Juilliard."

"Really?" Chloe asked, biting her lip and smiling even wider.

"Yeah. He's really good, too. He's a natural, just like you," Beca stated confidently. "He plays for hours on end every day. He's so passionate about it," she added.

"Wow. He sounds a lot like me when I was his age," Chloe said, chuckling a little. "I'm so glad that he's gotten into piano. Maybe he and I could do a little duet sometime."

"I'm sure he'd love that. He and Hailee are always asking about you. I'm looking forward to telling them that you're in my life again," Beca replied, taking one of Chloe's hands in hers and squeezing it gently.

They left the coffee shop a little while later and walked out to Beca's silver 2020 BMW i8. A couple paparazzi came and took photos of them while they were walking to the car, but Beca ignored them and opened the passenger's side door for Chloe before going over to the driver's side. "Just wait till you meet my roommate. She's a hoot," the brunette said as she got in the driver's seat and turned the car on. "Her name is Amy and she's from Australia, and she's one of the funniest people I've ever met."

"She sounds like a character. I can't wait to meet her. How did you guys meet?" Chloe asked curiously.

"We had a class together at UCLA. She was one of the few people I actually liked while I was there," Beca said with a chuckle as she drove towards her apartment. "I have to ask: do you like the car?"

"It's different, but I like it. I've never been in a car like this before," Chloe said, giggling a little. "I bet this cost a lot of money, huh?" She added, giggling again.

"Yeah, it did," Beca said, chuckling some more. "I was thinking about getting a Tesla instead, but this one felt more like a Beca Mitchell car. Plus, it's still an electric car, so I don't have to use gas."

"This does seem like a Beca Mitchell car," Chloe stated, a smile on her face as well. "So, I assume that you have a fancy apartment in addition to your fancy car?"

"I actually live in a house now, and it's pretty nice. I wanted a somewhat modest house, so it's not obnoxiously huge, but it's not small either," Beca replied. "It's got a great view of the ocean, which I think you'll love. Sometimes I go out on my balcony and watch the sunset just because."

"That sounds like fun. Maybe we can do that tonight," Chloe suggested. "Which part of LA is your house in?" She asked curiously.

"My house is in Bel Air, which is near West Hollywood," Beca answered. "It's a beautiful house, but it's way too big for me and my roommate. However, it is nice when my family comes down to visit because everyone gets their own room," she stated. "It might not seem like a modest house at first, but I got this place for a pretty decent price."

"Let me guess: you got your house for at least ten million dollars," Chloe said, scratching the back of her head.

"No, this place wasn't that much. I'll spend that much on a house once I'm making as much money as Taylor Swift. That won't be for awhile, though," she said, running her fingers through her hair. "I got this place for a little over five and a half million, which is a great price for the area. Once you see the house, you'll wonder why it didn't cost more."

"So it's a modest house that you bought for almost six million dollars, which is cheap?" Chloe asked, chuckling along with Beca.

"Well, it's not cheap, but it's not as expensive as some of the other houses in the area. Houses like mine usually sell for ten to fifteen million dollars," Beca said, smiling as she turned onto her street. "We're almost there."

Chloe smiled and then looked out the window, noticing that they had started to drive up a hill. As they got closer to the top of the hill, the redhead could see a large house ahead of them. "Is that it?" She asked.

"Is 234 the number on the house? If it is, then that's the one," Beca answered, her smile growing wider.

As they got closer to the house, Chloe could see that the number was indeed 234. Once she got a good look at the house, her jaw dropped. "No way! That is not your house!" The redhead exclaimed.

Beca chuckled at Chloe's reaction. "What do you think?" She asked as she pulled into her driveway.

"This is not your house," Chloe repeated, shaking her head. "There's no way that this is your house."

"Do you really think I'd drive to some random person's house and pretend it was mine?" Beca asked, chuckling some more. "This is my house, Chloe."

"Holy shit, Beca. This is incredible!" Chloe said, her eyes wide as she looked at the outside of the house. "Can we go inside and see the rest?"

"Nope. This is all you get to see of the house," Beca stated in a serious tone of voice. "I'm just kidding, Chlo. Of course we can go inside and see the rest." The two women then got out of the car and walked to the front door. Before she opened it, Beca turned to face Chloe. "Hello, MTV. I'm Beca Mitchell, welcome to my crib," the brunette stated, making the redhead laugh. She then turned back around and opened the door, gesturing for Chloe to follow her inside. "First we have the living room," Beca said, motioning to an open space that had some couches and recliners along with a fireplace and a TV.

"Wow. This room is beautiful. I love how open it is," Chloe said with a smile, looking around for another moment or so. "What's next?" She asked, turning to Beca.

"The kitchen is next," Beca said, gesturing for Chloe to follow her again. "Amy is a really good cook. She's making something right now, actually," she mentioned as they walked into the kitchen. "Hey, Amy. There's someone I'd like you to meet." When the blonde woman looked over at her, the brunette continued. "Amy, this is Chloe Beale. She's one of the coolest people ever. Chloe, this is Amy Hobart. She's the best roommate in the world."

"It's Fat Amy, actually," the blonde woman said, walking over and then holding her hand out for Chloe to shake. "And before you ask, the reason why I call myself that is so twig bitches like you don't do it behind my back."

"It's nice to meet you, Fat Amy. Whatever you're making smells delightful, by the way," the redhead said as she shook the blonde's hand.

"Thanks, Ginger. I'm making some grilled cheese sandwiches, and they should be done by the time you former lovers are done looking at the house," Amy replied, making Chloe blush and Beca roll her eyes.

"Come on, Chloe. Let me show you the balcony," Beca said, shaking her head at Amy's remark as they walked out of the kitchen.

"So, did you buy this place yourself, or did Amy chip in too?" Chloe asked as they headed over to the balcony.

"Well, Amy is a pretty successful chef, so she chips in a good amount of money for the monthly payment. I cover most of the monthly payment, though," Beca answered. When they got to the balcony, the brunette opened the screen door and then walked out onto it. "This view takes my breath away every time," she said, a small smile on her face.

Chloe followed Beca out onto the balcony, walking over to the railing to get a better look at the view. When she did this, the redhead gasped. "Oh my god. This is amazing," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Beca couldn't help but gaze at Chloe as she looked out at the view. "Yeah, the view is one of the main reasons I got this place," the brunette mentioned, still admiring the redhead's body. She then walked over and stood beside Chloe, the smile on her face growing wider as she did this. Beca loved every bit of what was going on at the moment; having Chloe there made it feel like the old times when they would waste the days away at each other's houses back in Seattle.

"I can't believe you bought this house for less than six million dollars. You made off like a bandit with this place," Chloe said, chuckling and shaking her head.

"It sure feels that way," Beca replied, looking down for a moment. "Do you want to see the pool now?" She asked, looking back up at Chloe as she spoke.

"You have a pool?" Chloe asked, surprise in her voice at first. She then chuckled and shook her head again. "I should've known that you had a pool. You probably have a hot tub, too."

"I do, actually. It's right next to the pool," Beca said, chuckling along with Chloe.

"Well, I'm glad I brought a couple swimsuits," Chloe replied, biting her lip as they walked back through the house and down to the pool. "Wow, Beca. This place is so amazing. Did you ever picture yourself living in a place like this?"

"Honestly? I didn't," Beca said with a chuckle as she and Chloe walked over to the pool. "I didn't even picture myself being a famous singer," she added, chuckling a little more.

"Everyone back in Seattle knew you were going to make it, especially me," Chloe stated genuinely. She then sat down beside the pool and rolled up her jeans so she could stick her feet in. "When I saw you perform at the first football game, I instantly knew that you were going to make it. I don't know what it was, but there was something about you that just made you belong up on that stage."

"Thanks, Chlo," Beca said as she sat down beside the redhead. "I wouldn't have made it without your support," she added, dipping her toes in the pool as she spoke.

Chloe smiled and then leaned her head on Beca's shoulder, closing her eyes and sighing with content. "I know that lately I haven't really acted like it, but I am happy for you, Becs. You have an amazing house, and you're able to provide for yourself and your family. You've made quite the life for yourself," she said in a soft voice.

"So have you, Chlo. You're an incredible person, and I admire you so much because of that," Beca stated genuinely before leaning her head against Chloe's.

Chloe smiled at Beca's words. This was the friendliest they'd been with each other in a long time, and the redhead was enjoying it. "So, is there more of the house that you'd like to show me?"

"Yeah, there is. You have yet to see my favorite part of the house," Beca said, lifting her feet out of the pool and then standing up.

"Really? The pool isn't your favorite part?" Chloe asked with a chuckle before doing the same as Beca. "How could the pool not be your favorite part?" She added as she followed Beca back to the house.

"My favorite part is my studio, which is in the basement," Beca said, holding the door open for Chloe when they got back to the house.

"You're joking," Chloe stated, a blank expression on her face. "You have a huge kitchen, a beautiful balcony, and a pool along with an amazing view of the ocean. Now you're telling me that you have a recording studio too? Does your bed rise out of the floor, or do you have a Jarvis you can talk like Tony Stark does?"

Beca chuckled and shook her head. "No, my bed doesn't rise out of the floor, and I don't have a Jarvis either," she said as they walked into the house. "You know, the studio didn't come with the place, actually. It used to be a wine cellar," the brunette mentioned.

"Really? That's cool. I can't wait to see it," Chloe said as they walked down the staircase that would bring them to the studio.

"I can't wait for you to see it too," Beca said, smiling softly as they continued to walk down the staircase.

Chloe's eyes went wide as soon as she stepped inside the studio. "Holy shit, Beca," she said, looking around the room in awe. "This is awesome. Is it completely soundproof?"

Beca nodded her head. "Yeah, it's completely soundproof. It is a bit chilly down here since it used to be a wine cellar, but it's not too bad."

"Do you just come down here and record random stuff sometimes?" Chloe asked as she continued to look around the studio.

Beca nodded her head again. "This is where I record all of my music. It's not big enough to record Trio's music, though," she answered.

"Where do you record Trio's music, then?" Chloe asked curiously.

"We record Trio's music at Residual Heat in downtown LA, which is where I worked as a producer before I became a singer," Beca explained.

"You certainly worked your way to the top quickly," Chloe stated, admiring the state-of-the-art equipment that Beca had in place.

"You could say that. It didn't take a whole lot of time, but it took a lot of hard work," Beca replied before sitting down in front of the soundboard.

"I believe it," Chloe said, tucking some of her back as she sat down beside Beca. After a few moments of silence, the redhead spoke again. "Hey, can we get serious for a minute?"

"Yeah, of course. What's up?" Beca asked, giving Chloe her undivided attention.

"I want you to know that Freddie is just a fling; we're just messing around. I don't have any romantic feelings for him, and I wanted to make that clear," Chloe stated, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Also, I never apologized for what happened that one night in New York, so I'm going to do that now. I'm really sorry for acting the way I did, and I'm really sorry that you saw Freddie and I together. I shouldn't have been that insensitive. You didn't deserve that, and I'm sorry."

There was a moment of silence between them before Beca spoke up. "It's okay, Chlo," she said in a soft voice. "Really, it is. I'm not mad at you or anything. I'm not gonna lie and say that seeing you guys together didn't hurt, though, because it did. I was hurt then, but I'm not anymore. Honestly, you shouldn't feel bad about having a fling with someone else after everything I've done to you."

"Are you sure?" Chloe asked, biting her lip a little. "Because I've felt awful about it for the last month, and I wanted to apologize and make myself clear. The last three years weren't all your fault—we both stopped trying, even if we didn't want to."

"That may be true. I still can't help but feel guilty, though," Beca replied, looking down as she spoke. Then, her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she took it out to see that Amy had texted her. "Our sandwiches are ready, so I'll go get them. You can stay down here. I'll be back in a little bit," the brunette said before getting up and going back upstairs, leaving Chloe to her thoughts.

Chloe sighed and ran her fingers through her hair as she watched Beca leave. She then turned back around and saw that Beca had a shelf full of CDs, which she assumed were songs that she was currently working on. The redhead was curious, so she decided to listen to one. She grabbed one of the CDs and saw that it was labeled "N Y L A." Chloe put the disc in Beca's CD player and pressed the play button once the song had loaded.

"N Y L A"- Blackbear

"You're in New York, I'm in LA.

I drive to work, you take the train.

My heart—it burns, yes it burns, yes it burns.

We're oceans away.

I'll be asleep at the time you're awake,

By the time you're awake.

I know that you're hurt, I know I'm to blame.

But I'll make it work, I'll make you stay.

Until that day, I'm one plane ride away

From New York to LA.

I'll be one plane ride away

From New York to LA till you stay.

Till you'll stay, till you'll stay, till you stay..."

Chloe instantly knew that the song was about her, and she felt the lyrics pull at her heartstrings. Despite everything that had happened, the redhead had bought every single one of Beca's CDs. Even though this was the first time she had heard this song, it was definitely the most hauntingly-beautiful song she had ever heard, and it was also the most difficult love song for her to listen to. Because of this, Chloe couldn't help but tear up as the song went into its second verse.

"I'm in LA, you're in New York.

I missed you today,  
So bad that it hurt.  
My heart—it burns, yes it burns  
2800 miles away.  
And I'll be asleep at the time you're

awake,

So I'm calling to say:

I know that you're hurt, I know I'm to blame.  
But I'll make it work, I'll make you stay.  
Until that day, I'm one plane ride away  
From New York to LA.

I'll be one plane ride away  
From New York to LA till you'll stay.

You'll stay…"

As the redhead continued to listen to the song, Beca walked back down the stairs with their lunch. She stopped in her tracks when she heard "N Y L A" playing, and then she slowly walked over to the door. The brunette stopped at the door and watched Chloe as she listened to the song, making sure to be quiet so she didn't disturb her.

"You feel the same,

Do you feel the same?

I know that you're hurt, I know I'm to blame.

But I'll make it work, I'll make you stay.

Until that day, I'm one plane ride away

From New York to LA.

I'll be one plane ride away

From New York to LA till you'll stay…"

Beca stepped into the room when the song ended, unsure of what to say at first. "Chlo," she started, which got the redhead's attention. "How did you find that song?" Chloe looked back at her with a blank expression in her face, and that was when the brunette noticed that her cheeks were stained with tears and that her eyes were red.

"I-I found it on your CD shelf," Chloe stuttered, looking down at the floor and sniffling a little as a couple more tears fell down her face. "I'm sorry," she whispered a few moments later.

Beca shook her head. "No, don't be sorry. I was just wondering, that's all." The brunette then walked over and sat down next to Chloe, still holding the plates with their sandwiches. "Did you like the song?" She asked.

Chloe nodded her head but didn't look up, as she was trying to hide the fact that she'd been crying. The redhead finally looked up at Beca after wiping her tears away and sniffling a little more. "I'm guessing it's for me?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, it is," Beca answered, setting their plates down on the counter before scratching the back of her head. "I came up with the idea for this song when Trio left for Europe, and I've been working on it ever since. I hope its message is clear."

Chloe nodded her head again before taking a deep breath. "Beca, I-" she started, unable to find the right words to say.

"It's okay, Chlo. You don't need to say anything," Beca replied, putting a hand on the redhead's shoulder to reassure her.

"Can we just start over?" Chloe asked, biting her lip with a hopeful look in her eyes. "I hate the way things have been the last few years. Can we just start over again and try to forget the past? I want us to actually be friends again without conditions or anything like that."

"I thought we already started over," Beca said with a chuckle. "But yes, we can," she added, a smile spreading across her face as she spoke.

"Good, because I want my best friend back," Chloe said, smiling as she tucked some of her hair back behind her ear.

"I want my best friend back too," Beca said, her smile growing even wider. She then leaned forward and brought Chloe into a tight embrace, wrapping her arms around the redhead's waist as she did so. "I missed you so much, Chlo," the brunette whispered in her ear.

"I missed you too, Becs," Chloe murmured as she hugged the brunette back. However, their moment was interrupted by Chloe's phone, which had started to buzz. The redhead took it out from her pocket and smiled when she saw the reminder on the screen. "Chicago's first NFL game is about to start. We have to go watch it!"

"You bet we do. The Niners are playing the Chargers if I remember correctly," Beca said as both she and Chloe stood up from their chairs.

"Yeah, they are. Stacie's at the game, so we need to look for her in the stands," Chloe said, grabbing her plate and then walking over to the staircase. "Let's go!"

Chicago stood in the tunnel and looked straight ahead, shifting his weight from one leg to the other as he listened to the crowd cheer. His teammates crowded around him as they waited for their coaches to join them. Chicago looked down at his jersey and smiled when he saw thirteen, which was his lucky number. Thirteen had been his number since he had played flag football, and he was proud to be wearing it as a pro.

Elijah walked over to Chicago and stood beside him. "You ready, Rook?" He asked, putting his helmet on before giving him a pat on the back.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Chicago replied with a nervous chuckle.

"You'll be fine, Rook," Ross said, moving so that he too was standing next to Chicago. "Chances are that you won't even play today, so you don't really have anything to worry about," he added.

"I know I probably won't play, but I want to. I want to prove myself," Chicago said. After he said this, the players started running out of the tunnel and onto the field, the crowd cheering wildly as they did so.

"Look, Logan! There he is!" Stacie exclaimed excitedly, pointing at Chicago as he ran out of the tunnel. "Chicago is number thirteen!" She added, jumping up and down as she cheered for her friend.

"I can see that," Logan said, chuckling a little as his girlfriend jumped up and down.

Chicago sat on the bench for the first three quarters of the game and cheered on his teammates as they built up a significant lead. In the fourth quarter, however, one of their tight ends went down with a shoulder injury. Jon Embree, the tight end coach, pulled Chicago away from the bench during the injury timeout. "You're going in, Walp. Are you warmed up?" He asked.

Chicago swallowed the lump in his throat before nodding his head. "Yeah, Coach, I'm warmed up," he said, taking a deep breath after he finished speaking.

"Carrier is down and will be out for the rest of the game, so we need you to take his place. Can you do that?" Coach Embree asked, his voice kind but firm. "You've got some hard-core talent, kid. Now go out and show it."

Chicago nodded his head again and then put on his helmet. He took another deep breath to calm himself before he ran out onto the field to join his teammates in the huddle. On his way to the huddle, he high-fived Derek, who was being helped off the field by two members of the training staff.

Once he was in the huddle, Chicago's teammates patted him on either the helmet or the shoulder. Jimmy Garoppolo, the quarterback for the team, came back to the huddle a few moments later with the play. "Alright, guys. Coach called for 'Short Hooks.' Ready?"

"Break!" The rest of the players called out, clapping their hands in sync before jogging over to the line of scrimmage and getting in position.

Stacie gasped and then smiled widely when she saw Chicago on the field. "No way! Look, Logan—he's in the game!" She said, pointing at Chicago as he walked towards the right side of the offensive line.

"Wait, really? That's awesome," Logan replied, a genuine smile on his face as he watched Chicago get into position beside the right tackle.

Once everyone was in position, Jimmy snapped the ball and dropped back in the pocket, making sure to avoid any defenders that came his way while he looked down the field for a receiver. Then, he saw that Chicago was wide open about five yards past the line of scrimmage, so he threw the ball to him.

Chicago kept his eyes on the ball as it came toward him, occasionally glancing out of the corner of his eye to see if any defenders were approaching. He jumped up and caught the ball, then landed on his feet and started to run. The crowd went nuts as Chicago ran for eight yards, which was enough to get a first down, before being tackled.

Once the play was over, Chicago got up from the ground and jogged over to the huddle. "Nice job, Walp. You ran that route perfectly," Jimmy said, nodding his head in approval.

"I'm just doing my job," Chicago said with a smile before Jimmy told everyone about the next play.

The 49ers marched down the field pretty quickly, and they were now twenty-five yards away from the end zone. "Alright, guys. It's third-and-five," Jimmy stated as he joined the huddle. "Let's push through it, alright? I know that it's late in the game and we've got a nice cushion, but we can show other teams that we're a force to be reckoned with if we keep fighting. Coach wants us to pass it again, so we're going to do 'Trips Right.' You know your routes, so do your job. Ready?"

"Break!" The team then got to their positions, Chicago going to the left side of the offensive line this time. He took a deep breath to both calm himself and block out all the noise around him so he could focus on Jimmy's voice.

Jimmy waited until everyone was in position to snap the ball, dropping back in the pocket once he did so. He scanned the field for an open man, dodging a few defenders at the same time. Once again, Chicago was wide open, so he threw the ball to the rookie.

Chicago caught the ball with ease and then turned around, spinning around two defenders and warding off another with a stiff arm. After he had done this, Chicago made a beeline for the end zone, pure adrenaline coursing through his veins. He crossed the goal line in a matter of seconds and scored his first NFL touchdown, which made the score 34-7 in the 49ers' favor.

Once he had crossed the goal line, Chicago spiked the ball in the end zone to celebrate. He then turned around and smiled widely as his teammates came over to congratulate him. "That's what I'm talking about, Walp!" Jimmy exclaimed enthusiastically while holding his hand up for a high-five.

Chicago high-fived Jimmy and some of his other teammates before jogging over to the sideline, the crowd roaring as he did so. He had just scored his first NFL touchdown, and he couldn't be happier. Chicago took off his helmet as he made his way over to the bench and grabbed a cup of Gatorade, downing it in one sip as he caught his breath. He then turned to look at the crowd, and he couldn't help but smile when he saw all the fans that were cheering for him. His smile grew even wider when he spotted Stacie in the crowd, and he waved at her. Chicago didn't care about anything else at that moment; as long as Stacie was cheering for him, he'd be alright.

"Good job, Chic!" Stacie yelled at the top of her lungs, clapping her hands loudly as well. She knew that he probably couldn't hear her, but she didn't care; all she cared about was the fact that her best friend had just scored his first NFL touchdown.

Chicago winked at Stacie before turning back around to pay attention to the game. The game ended a little while later, and the two teams shook hands before heading to their respective locker rooms. Kyle Shanahan, the head coach, walked into the locker room and smiled at his team. "That was a solid first game and first win, you guys. I'm proud of the effort and work you put in today." The team gave themselves a short round of applause before Coach Shanahan continued. "I'd like to give a special shoutout to a player that really stepped up when we needed him to: Chicago Walp." There was another round of applause, this one by the rest of the team and the coaching staff for Chicago, before Coach Shanahan spoke again. "You may only have sat out the first three quarters, but you gave it your all when it mattered most, and that's something to be proud of. Not to mention the fact that you scored your first NFL touchdown in your first NFL game."

Chicago smiled when his teammates and the coaching staff gave him a round of applause, but he shook his head. "With all due respect, Coach, I don't think I should be applauded for doing what I'm supposed to," he said with a shrug of the shoulders.

These words made everyone in the locker room chuckle. "That may be true, but scoring your first touchdown as a pro is pretty damn cool, so I figured that we should recognize that," Coach Shanahan said, putting a hand on Chicago's shoulder as he spoke. "Get some rest tonight, everyone. Your recovery day is tomorrow, and then it's back to work on Tuesday. Great work today, now get out of here."

The team and coaching staff gave each other one more round of applause before packing up their equipment and leaving for the day. "Man, that was awesome," Chicago said with a smile as he, Ross, and Elijah walked to the parking deck.

"Dude, you played great on those last few plays," Elijah stated genuinely, patting Chicago on the back. "You did so well today, bro. What are you gonna do to celebrate?" He asked.

"Uh, I don't know. I'll probably go home and play on my PS4 for a little bit," Chicago said with a chuckle as he scratched the back of his head. "I'll probably call my family and friends too, but that's about it," he added. "Do you guys want to come over?"

"Sure. I don't have anything planned," Ross replied.

"Same here. I'm down for whatever," Elijah said as they walked into the parking deck.

"Chic?" A feminine voice asked a few moments later.

Chicago instantly looked up from his phone and smiled. "Hey, Stacie." His smile faded when he saw a guy standing next to her with his arm around her waist, as he knew that it was Logan. "Did you guys have fun at the game?"

"Of course we did!" Stacie exclaimed enthusiastically. She then walked forward and brought Chicago into an embrace. "You were so awesome, Chic," she whispered in his ear.

"Thanks," Chicago whispered back, his smile growing even wider while Stacie hugged him. After they pulled away from the embrace, Chicago turned to Logan and held his hand out for him to shake. "You must be Logan. It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too. Good game, by the way," Logan stated genuinely as he shook Chicago's hand.

"Thanks, but I can't take all the credit for the win. It was definitely a team effort," Chicago said before letting go of Logan's hand. "Thanks for coming to the game, you guys. It means a lot to have people I know in the stands," he added.

"You don't need to thank us, Chic. Did you really think we'd miss your first NFL game?" Stacie asked with a giggle.

"No, I didn't, but I'm still glad you guys came," Chicago said, chuckling along with Stacie. He then turned to Elijah and Ross. "This is Stacie and her boyfriend Logan."

"Nice to meet you, Stacie and Logan," Ross said with a friendly smile.

"Yeah, it's nice to meet you guys. Thanks for coming to the game," Elijah said, a friendly smile on his face as well.

"You guys looked really good today," Logan said before shaking hands with both Ross and Elijah. "The team looks a lot stronger than last year," he added.

"Well, we've been training twice as hard," Chicago said, shrugging his shoulders. He then studied Logan carefully. He had a handsome face and a cheeky smile. It was almost like he was an older version of Chicago. _No wonder why Stacie fell for him_ , he thought to himself before sighing softly.

Stacie glanced at Logan before looking back to the three football players. "We better get going now," she said before giving Chicago another hug. "You were amazing, Chic. You really were," she murmured, reluctantly pulling away from the embrace a few moments later. "It was nice to meet you, Ross and Elijah. You all were great today."

After they said goodbye, Stacie and Logan walked away together. Elijah and Ross stood on either side of Chicago as he watched them leave. "Is that the girl from Seattle?" Ross asked, even though he already knew the answer to that question.

Chicago nodded his head before looking down, letting out another soft sigh as he did so. "Yeah, that's her," he said quietly, putting his hands in his pockets and shuffling his feet awkwardly. "She's the one that got away."

 **We have had a plan for this from the beginning, even though some of you might not like it, we promise that it will make this story better in the end.**

 **With that said, Chloe and Beca are on good terms again, and Chicago stepped up and performed well in his NFL debut. What do you think will happen between Stacie and Chicago?**

 **Until Next time**


	6. Chapter 6: Chloe's First LA Party

Chapter 6: Chloe's First LA Party

"So, what are we making for the party tonight?" Chloe asked as she and Amy walked into the kitchen.

"We're gonna make some finger sandwiches, kabobs, a cauliflower salad, and some California sushi rolls," Amy answered. "We'll start with the kabobs since they take the longest amount of time. I need you to chop up some squash, onions, and zucchini while I work on the different meats. Beca's getting some alcohol at the store right now."

"Alright, sounds good," Chloe said, going over to the fridge and grabbing the squash, onions, and zucchini. "How often does Beca have these parties?" She asked curiously as she brought the vegetables over to the cutting board.

"Beca doesn't host or attend a lot of parties, actually. She only goes to parties that are super important, like a friend's birthday or a special event," Amy replied as she started to cut the chicken into small cubes. "She's throwing this party for you so you can know what an LA party is like. Be prepared to meet a ton of celebrities," she added with a chuckle. "Tiffany Haddish is coming, and I think the Fab Five from _Queer Eye_ are coming too."

"Wait, what? Are you serious?" Chloe said, her eyes going wide and her jaw dropping a little.

"Yeah, Beca has some pretty famous friends," Amy said, chuckling a little more as she continued to cut up the chicken. "Taylor Swift should be coming as well. She and Beca became good friends when Beca opened for her on the American leg of her Reputation tour."

"You're kidding," Chloe said, her jaw dropping even more. "Who else is coming? Are Beyoncé and Jay-Z gonna stop by?"

"Beca's wanted to meet them for awhile, but she hasn't had the chance to yet." The two of them prepped the food in silence for about twenty minutes before Amy spoke up again. "So, have you enjoyed hanging out with Beca this week?" She asked.

"Yeah, I have. I've really missed spending time with her, so I'm glad that we've gotten to hang out so much this week," Chloe replied, a smile spreading across her face as she spoke.

"I think that the feeling is mutual, considering the fact that you're all she ever talks about," Amy said before starting to cut the beef into small cubes.

"Really?" Chloe asked, biting her lip a little as she looked up from the squash she was chopping.

"Yeah, really," Amy stated as she continued to cut up the beef. "I mean, it's pretty obvious that you both still have it bad for each other," she added.

"W-what?" Chloe stuttered, feeling her face start to heat up. "That's not true. We don't 'have it bad' for each other," she insisted.

"Chloe, it's obvious," Amy said, chuckling and shaking her head at the redhead. "You laugh at almost everything she says, even if it's not funny. You two stay up late to talk every night, and you cuddle each other whenever you watch a movie. Also, you guys actively look for ways to have physical contact with each other. It seems like you two are always trying to touch each other."

"We're just friends, though. Nothing more, nothing less," Chloe stated before going back to cutting up the squash.

"Do you really believe that, Chloe?" Amy asked, raising her eyebrows at the redhead. "I mean, you two are friendlier with each other than I am with In-N-Out, for crying out loud."

"I don't know. Maybe," Chloe said, shrugging her shoulders before scratching the back of her head. "We agreed to be friends, so that's what we are. For now, at least," she added a few moments later.

Amy nodded her head and then started to make the kabobs while thinking of what to say next. "One last question: have you thought about having sex with Beca while you've been here?

"What? Why would I think about that?" Chloe asked, her face now as red as her hair.

"I've just noticed that you've been giving her bedroom eyes every now and then," Amy explained with a shrug of the shoulders. "Care to comment?"

Chloe shook her head and then looked down so Amy didn't see how hard she was blushing. "Have I really been giving her 'bedroom eyes?'" She asked a few moments later, looking up as she spoke.

Amy chuckled at how shy Chloe was being. "If it helps, Beca's been doing the same thing, so it's not like you're the only one who's bad at hiding it," she pointed out before going over to the sink to wash her hands.

Chloe looked back down before running her fingers through her hair and sighing. "I don't know what I'm feeling right now, to be honest."

"Well, I'm no expert when it comes to feelings, but I'd see how Beca acts towards you tonight if I were you. If she tries to start something, go along with it to see if there's still something there," Amy replied, leaning against the kitchen counter.

Chloe took a deep breath and nodded her head, biting her lip a little as well. "Do you think she still has feelings for me?" She asked in a quiet voice.

"Oh my god, Chloe," Amy said, chuckling yet again before continuing to speak. "Yes, I think she still has feelings for you. If you don't believe me, listen to that 'N Y L A' song again."

"You do have a point there, I guess," Chloe said, running her fingers through her hair again. "Do you think there's a chance that she acts on those feelings tonight?"

"Well, Beca's been pretty respectful of you wanting to remain friends, so I'm not sure," Amy said, scratching the back of her head. "I guess you'll just have to wait and see."

Later that night, Beca was in her room getting ready. Because people had already started arriving, the brunette was going as fast as she could so she could greet her guests in a timely manner. She put on a green plaid suit jacket to match her pants and rolled up the sleeves once she had buttoned up her black undershirt. Beca then put on some white Vans and touched up her makeup, checking her appearance once more to make sure she looked good.

Once she was satisfied with her appearance, Beca went downstairs to greet her guests. She smiled when she saw that Jonathan Van Ness and Tan France from _Queer Eye_ had already arrived, and she gave each of them a hug. The brunette then turned to see Chloe talking to Jesse and Benji, and she couldn't help but gasp a little at how beautiful the redhead looked in her form-fitting black dress. After standing there for a little while longer, she decided to go over and talk to her friends.

"Hey, you guys," Beca said, smiling as she walked over to her friends. "Everyone's looking great tonight. Especially you, Chloe," the brunette added, blushing a little as she said that.

"Thanks, Beca," Chloe replied, smiling and blushing as well.

Just as Beca was about to say something else, a blonde girl came up to the four of them. "Hey, Beca! It's so good to see you again!" She said enthusiastically.

"Hey, Katie. What's up?" Beca asked, her smile growing wider as she gave the girl a hug.

"Not much. I'm glad you're throwing this party. It'll give us a chance to catch up," Katie said, winking at Beca after they pulled away from the embrace. "I've missed you a lot, Becs," she added before running her hand up and down the brunette's arm a couple times.

"I've missed you too, Katie. When was the last time we saw each other? It's got to have been a couple months at least," Beca replied, scratching the back of her head as she spoke.

"We haven't seen each other since before Trio's tour. Speaking of the tour, how was it?" Katie asked. The blonde then bit her lip at Beca a little, which didn't go unnoticed by Chloe.

"It was great, wasn't it?" Beca said, turning to Jesse and Benji as she spoke.

"Oh yeah. It was sick," Jesse said, smiling and then sipping his drink.

"You'll have to tell me all about it, then," Katie said, finally noticing Chloe out of the corner of her eye. "Ah, you must be Chloe. Beca's told me all about you," the blonde said as she turned to face the redhead. "I'm Katie Stevens. I'm an assistant producer at Residual Heat, and I helped these hotties produce their Grammy award-winning album," she explained, looking directly at Beca when she said those last few words.

"It's nice to meet you, Katie," Chloe said, forcing a smile onto her face when she shook the blonde's hand.

"It's nice to finally meet you too. Beca mentioned that you're quite the pianist," Katie said with a smile. "I'm not quite handy with a piano, but I can play the bass pretty well," she added before turning back to Beca. "Now, Beca, come with me and tell me all about the tour," she said before dragging Beca away, leaving the other three behind.

Chloe couldn't help but set her jaw and clench her fists as she watched Katie and Beca walk away. "Does she always act like that?" She muttered.

Jesse cringed and nodded a little bit before sipping his scotch. "Yeah, she's not my favorite person. She didn't really help produce the album, either. All she did was bring us coffee," he said with a chuckle. "But yes, she's always has had a crush on Beca. Beca's too oblivious to see that, though."

Jesse's last few words made Chloe sigh with relief. "Yeah, she doesn't really seem like the producer type. And I know for a fact that Beca would never let anyone, besides her boss, do anything to her music," she said, chuckling along with Jesse.

"Well, I think that Beca would probably let you help her, since she admires your taste in music so much," Benji interjected before shrugging his shoulders.

"Yeah, she probably would," Chloe said, biting her lip and looking down for a moment. "So, is there anyone here that you guys want to introduce me to?" She asked a few moments later.

"Well, Beca told us that you love Taylor Swift," Jesse said smiling at the redhead. "She's out on the back deck talking to Amy. Wanna meet her?"

"Is that even a question? Of course I want to meet her!" Chloe exclaimed eagerly.

Jesse and Benji lead Chloe to the back deck and introduced her to Taylor. The two girls talked for quite some time before Taylor excused herself to go to the restroom. When this happened, Chloe started walking around and ended up bumping into Janelle Monáe, so they started to talk for awhile. The party was in full swing by that time, and the redhead noticed that she hadn't seen Beca in awhile. _Katie's probably hogging her, so you won't be seeing her anytime soon_ , she thought to herself before letting out a soft sigh. Even though Jesse had told her that the brunette was oblivious to the blonde's blatant flirting, Chloe couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy whenever she thought about the two of them hanging out together.

A few minutes later, Beca came out onto the back deck, making a beeline for Chloe as soon as she spotted her. "Please help me hide. I think I've finally gotten rid of Katie, but it won't be long before she notices that I'm gone," she pleaded.

"Well, this isn't exactly the best place to hide, but I'll help you avoid her for as long as possible," Chloe said, chuckling at the brunette a little.

"Katie's not that clingy, right?" Janelle asked, raising an eyebrow.

Beca shook her head. "No, she's not. She's just trying to be a good friend, but I need a break from all her questions for awhile," she said before taking a sip of her beer.

"This party is awesome, Beca," Chloe said, smiling widely at the brunette.

"Thanks, Chlo. I'm glad you think so. I wanted your first LA party to be one to remember," Beca said, smiling back at the redhead.

"You know, I didn't really get to tell you this earlier, but you look great tonight," Chloe said, taking a sip of her martini and then eating an olive.

"I did get to tell you this earlier, but you look great tonight as well. I hope you don't mind me telling you again," Beca said, chuckling a little before taking another sip of her beer.

Janelle noticed the way the two girls interacted but didn't say anything, allowing them to continue their conversation.

"Thank you, Beca," Chloe said, smiling and chuckling along with Beca.

Just then, the one person that Beca didn't want to see walked out onto the deck and stumbled over to her. "Beca, will you make me another margarita? Yours are my favorite," Katie slurred.

Chloe sighed and then gestured for Beca to go with the blonde. "Go help her. I'll find you later," she said before sighing again.

"Please do," Beca whispered back before turning to Katie. "Yeah, of course. I'll get you a glass of water too, since it seems like you need one," she said to the blonde before she followed the girl inside.

"So," Janelle started, raising an eyebrow at Chloe while a smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Does someone have feelings for the host of the party?"

"W-what? Why would y-you think that?" Chloe stuttered before looking down, as her face had started to heat up.

"Oh, you know, just the constant blushing and compliments," Janelle answered, smiling cheekily at Chloe. "What's the deal with you two?" She asked curiously.

Chloe bit her lip and took a deep breath before looking back up at Janelle. "Beca and I have known each other since our senior year of high school. We dated for a couple months but broke up at the end of the school year since she was gonna go to LA and I was gonna go to New York."

"What happened after that?" Janelle asked.

"Well, we lost contact after a while. Four months ago, we saw each other for the first time in five years. We kinda just became friends again, but I think it'll be awhile before either of us is ready to get back together. That is, if we're ever ready to get back together," Chloe explained, taking another sip of her martini. "I can't help but feel butterflies in my stomach whenever I'm around her, and seeing this Katie girl all over her is making me a little jealous," the redhead admitted.

"That's understandable. I mean, she has been all over her ever since the party started. I'm surprised Beca hasn't been suffocated yet," Janelle joked, chuckling softly after she finished speaking.

"Beca won't say anything about it. She's too nice to do that," Chloe said, leaning against the railing of the deck as she spoke.

"She may say something if Katie keeps talking her ear off. I wouldn't be surprised if she came back out here in less than five minutes," Janelle replied before chuckling some more.

Chloe looked into the house and saw that almost everyone was in there dancing. "Sometimes I wish I never decided to break up with her," she said, looking down and sighing softly to herself.

"You two could always get back together," Janelle pointed out with a shrug of the shoulders.

"What if that's a mistake? What if we get back together and it tears us apart even more?" Chloe asked, biting her lip a little.

"There's only one way to find out," Janelle replied, shrugging her shoulders again before dipping a carrot in ranch and taking a bite out of it. "If I were you, I'd make up your mind quickly, because it seems like Beca's starting to get friendly with Katie," she mentioned.

Chloe looked to see Beca and Katie dancing together, and her eyes narrowed when she saw noticed that the brunette's hands were on the blonde's waist. She then gritted her teeth when she saw the blonde lean in to whisper something in the brunette's ear. "What the hell?" She muttered under her breath, blinking a few times to make sure that she wasn't seeing things.

"Like I said, you should make up your mind sooner rather than later, or else Beca may end up in someone else's arms tonight," Janelle stated before taking another bite out of her carrot.

"Don't worry, I've already made up my mind," Chloe said, turning back to Janelle. "Thanks for talking with me tonight. I hope I'll get to see you soon." The redhead then took a deep breath before heading towards the house with a determined look on her face. Beca belonged with her, and Chloe couldn't stand seeing the brunette with someone else.

Beca and Katie were currently dancing to "Can't Feel My Face" by the Weeknd, and the brunette smirked as the blonde moved closer to her. She was about to wrap her arms around the other girl's waist when she was suddenly pulled away and lead into the hallway. "What the—Chloe? What's going on?"

"Why were you dancing with her like that?" Chloe retorted, answering Beca's question with a question.

"Uh, I don't know. I just felt like it, I guess," Beca replied, scratching the back of her head before shrugging her shoulders. "What does it matter to you, anyways?"

"What does it matter to me? It matters to me because I still have feelings for you, okay?" Chloe stated, angry tears welling up in her eyes. The redhead then realized what she had just said, and she covered her mouth with her hand. After a long moment of silence, Chloe took a deep breath and spoke again. "Say something, Beca. Please say something," she pleaded, a single tear falling down her face when she saw the blank expression on the brunette's face.

Beca's eyes widened once her brain finally processed what Chloe had just said, her jaw dropping a little as well. "Y-you still have feelings for me?" She stuttered.

Chloe nodded her head and then looked down for a moment. "I thought I had gotten over you, but I didn't. I couldn't. When we saw each other at Café d'Amore, my feelings for you came flooding back. I haven't been able to get you out of my head since then, no matter what I've done. That's why it hurt to see you dancing with someone else like that," she explained.

"We were just dancing, Chlo. It didn't mean anything, I promise," Beca said, stepping forward and putting a hand on the redhead's shoulder in an attempt to reassure her.

"It still hurt, though. That's what I'm trying to tell you, Beca," Chloe said, shaking her head at the brunette and wiping her tear before smiling sadly. "Just forget I said anything. It's your party, anyways. You should be able to do whatever you want, right?" She added, smiling sadly before turning to walk away.

"Chloe, wait!" Beca said, grabbing the redhead's hand before she could walk away. "I was only dancing with Katie for fun. I understand why you were hurt by that, but I don't understand why you're mad at me now, especially since you still have Freddie."

"I know I still have Freddie. That's why I said to forget about it," Chloe stated before walking away, leaving Beca alone in the hallway.

Beca sighed and ran her fingers through her hair as she watched Chloe walk away. _Why did she even bring it up in the first place if she was gonna tell me to forget it?_ She thought to herself before sighing again.

The brunette went back out to the dance floor and was instantly pulled back onto it by Katie, who was very intoxicated by this point. She tried to get Beca to dance with her, but the brunette didn't really budge. "Katie, stop. I need to get some air," she stated firmly.

"Come on, Becs. We were having so much fun earlier," Katie whined, holding onto Beca's arm to prevent her from leaving.

"I said stop, Katie," Beca snapped, yanking her arm away before pushing her way past the blonde.

"What's gotten into you? You were fine with dancing just a minute ago," Katie called after Beca, crossing her arms and furrowing her eyebrows as she did so.

"Jesus Christ, Katie! I just need to get some air!" Beca yelled before storming out of the room and onto the back deck. Once she was out on the deck, the brunette closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself. She then went and sat down in one of the deck chairs. _I don't have to apologize to anyone for anything. Not to Chloe, and certainly not to Katie,_ Beca thought to herself.

A few minutes later, Taylor walked out onto the back deck and went over to Beca. "Hey, Beca. This is the first time I've seen you tonight. What's up?"

"Not much. What's up with you?" Beca asked, turning so she was facing Taylor.

"Not much either," Taylor replied. Her face then lit up. "Oh, I almost forgot! I met that Chloe girl you told me about," she mentioned before taking a piece of chicken off of her kabob and eating it.

"She's pretty amazing, isn't she?" Beca said, a small smile making its way into her face. "If I'm being honest, I don't know what to do. I feel like I'm in the middle of one of your love songs. Chloe just told me that she still has feelings for me. I want to tell her that I still have feelings for her too, but I don't know how to tell her, or if I even should tell her," she stated, scratching the back of her head. "She's going back to New York in a couple days," the brunette added a few moments later.

"Doesn't she already know that you feel the same way? I don't know how she couldn't know after all the songs you've written for her," Taylor said with a chuckle.

"She does know that, but she was the one who didn't want to do long distance," Beca said, running her fingers through her hair. "I want to be with her, but we can't be together when we're on opposite sides of the country," she added.

Taylor smiled sympathetically at Beca. "Maybe she'll consider long distance if you tell her that you feel the same way," she pointed out, putting a hand on the brunette's shoulder as she spoke.

"Like I said before, she knows I feel the same way. That won't change how she feels about long distance, though," Beca replied, running her fingers through her hair again. "I wish I could kiss her without any consequences. I wish she didn't have to leave."

"Well, I think that the first thing you should do is tell her that you feel the same way. Even though she already knows you do, I'm sure she won't mind hearing you say it," Taylor stated.

"Okay, what should I do next?" Beca asked, sitting up straight in her chair to show Taylor that she had her full attention.

"Uh, I don't know," Taylor said, shrugging her shoulders and then chuckling a little. "Maybe just see where it goes from there?" She suggested.

Beca looked back inside the house and smiled when she saw all her guests dancing together. However, the brunette was also smiling because she knew she had nothing to apologize for and nothing to lose. She then stood up from her seat and fixed her suit jacket before turning back to Taylor. "There's a reason you're one of my closest friends, Taylor. You always give me good advice, and I really appreciate it. I'll see you around." After she said that, Beca took a deep breath and went back into her house with one goal in mind: to find Chloe.

Beca couldn't find Chloe among the dancing guests, but she did have an idea of where she might be. The brunette ran downstairs and opened the door to her recording studio, smiling when she saw the redhead sitting in one of the chairs. Before Chloe could say anything, Beca walked over to her and pulled her into a kiss, wrapping her arms around the redhead's waist as she did so. While this move was impulsive, the brunette had already figured out what she was going to say afterwards. "In case you didn't know already, I still have feelings for you too," she said, moving her hands down to rest on Chloe's hips.

"I did know that already, but thank you for telling me again," Chloe said, smiling and biting her lip a little after their lips parted.

Beca waited until they both had caught their breath and then leaned in, pressing her lips to Chloe's again. This kiss was deeper than the last one, and the brunette moved her hands to the dip in the redhead's back as things started to escalate. "I know you're leaving for New York in a couple days, but I need to feel what it's like to be with you again, even if it's just for one night," she murmured softly.

"I need to feel what it's like to be with you again too," Chloe murmured back, letting out a soft moan when Beca's lips moved to her neck.

A shock of arousal spread throughout Beca's body when she heard Chloe moan for her. The brunette then picked the redhead up, wrapping her legs around her waist before reconnecting their lips. "This dress looks so sexy on you," she mumbled.

"Do you want to take it off of me? Because you can if you want to," Chloe whispered, cupping Beca's face in her hands and smiling into the kiss.

Chloe didn't need to say that twice; Beca immediately pushed Chloe's dress up her legs and moved her hands to her thighs. The brunette gently ran her fingers over the redhead's skin, leaving an occasional scratch mark with her fingernails. She then moved her lips to Chloe's neck and started sucking on her weak spot. Even though it had been five years, Beca still knew exactly how to turn Chloe on.

"Oh shit," Chloe groaned, pushing Beca's head down closer to her skin while tilting her own head to the side so the brunette had more access to her neck.

"God, I've missed hearing you moan," Beca said, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. She then pulled back from the kiss and lifted Chloe's dress over her head. The brunette smirked widely when she saw that Chloe was wearing a silk bra and underwear. "Wow," she murmured, whistling softly as she took in the sight before her. "Are you still as flexible as you were in high school?" Beca asked curiously.

"Maybe, maybe not. You'll have to see for yourself," Chloe answered before smirking and winking at Beca

"You're so hot, Chlo. I don't know how it's possible for you to be this hot," Beca said with a chuckle. She then started to grind her hips against Chloe's core, smirking when the redhead moaned softly. "You like that, huh?"

"Shit, Beca," Chloe whimpered, bucking her hips up towards the brunette's to create more friction between their bodies. "I see that you haven't forgotten how to turn me on," the redhead muttered under her breath, chuckling softly for a moment before letting out a low moan.

These words made Beca smirk and spurred her on as she continued to grind her hips against Chloe's core. After awhile, she pulled back to take off her suit jacket and shoes, leaning back down to kiss Chloe once she had done this. Beca then stood up and carried Chloe over to the couch in the room, laying her down on the cushions before resuming her ministrations.

"Will they be able to hear us upstairs?" Chloe asked absentmindedly, closing her eyes and biting her lip as another moan rose up in her throat.

"No, they won't. The music's too loud, and this room is completely soundproof," Beca answered, smiling as Chloe started to unbutton her dress shirt.

"Oh yeah. I forgot," Chloe said with a giggle as she continued unbuttoning Beca's shirt.

Once Chloe finished unbuttoning her shirt, Beca sat up and pulled it off, allowing the redhead to admire her in her topless form. She then pulled Chloe's leg up and kissed along her inner thigh for a few moments. "Do you want me to take your heels off?" She mumbled.

"Is that even a question? Please do, Becs," Chloe mumbled back, giggling a little more after she finished speaking.

Beca smiled as she took Chloe's shoes off and tossed them to the floor with the rest of their clothes. The brunette then sat back and admired the view in front of her. Beca was finally going to make love to Chloe again, and she couldn't help but smile because of that. "You're so damn beautiful, Chlo."

Chloe had a smile on her face as well, and she blushed at Beca's words. "Thanks, Becs. You're not too bad yourself," she whispered, smiling up at the brunette.

Beca then stood up and took off her pants before sitting back down and pulling Chloe on top of her. "Do you want to go down on me? I'll do the same for you afterwards," she whispered as she ran her fingers through the redhead's hair.

Chloe couldn't help but moan softly as she nodded her head. "That sounds perfect, Becs," she murmured, closing her eyes and sighing with content while their lips moved together in perfect sync.

Beca smiled and lay back against the couch, allowing Chloe to take control of the situation. "I've wanted to do this with you again for so long, Chlo."

"Me too, Becs. I've missed this so much. I've missed you so much," Chloe said as she leaned down to press a soft kiss to Beca's lips.

Beca's smile grew wider as they kissed each other, and then ran her hands along Chloe's bare skin. "You ready to show me what I've been missing?" The brunette asked before gently tugging at the redhead's bottom lip with her teeth.

"You bet I am, baby," Chloe whispered back, a smirk on her face and a devious glint in her eyes.

Beca sat up and let Chloe take off her bra before she lay back down against the cushions of the couch, the anticipation growing inside of brunette couldn't help but moan when the redhead's lips started to travel across her body. "Mmm, I've forgotten how smooth your lips are," she muttered, biting her lip as she watched Chloe suck on her skin.

"Well, now I have to make sure that you don't forget again," Chloe muttered back with a soft chuckle. She trailed her lips over Beca's skin, alternating between kisses and hickeys. "How does this feel, Becs?" The redhead asked.

"So fucking good," Beca moaned, biting her lip and throwing her head back as the redhead continued her ministrations. "You're so fucking hot," she added before letting out another moan.

Chloe smirked at Beca's reaction. "I'm glad, Becs. And you're really hot too," the redhead whispered before moving her lips back to the brunette's.

"Please fuck me hard, Chlo," Beca begged, needing Chloe's fingers or mouth where she needed it most.

Chloe smirk grew even wider at these words. "You're a lot more impatient than you used to be," she commented before starting to trail her lips down Beca's body.

"Can you blame me? It's been five years," Beca moaned, running her hands through Chloe's hair. "Plus, you've gotten me really excited," she added.

"Hmm, I guess that's true. I honestly can't believe it's been five years," Chloe mumbled, gently nipping at Beca's skin with her teeth after she finished speaking.

Beca watched as Chloe's lips got closer and closer to where she needed her most. "Please, Chlo. I need you now," she groaned, arching her back off the couch a little.

Chloe finally gave Beca what she wanted by starting to rub her core over her underwear. "This is just the beginning, baby," the redhead purred in the brunette's ear before gently nibbling her earlobe.

Beca started bucking her hips towards Chloe's fingers. "Chlo, I'm not going to last much longer if you keep teasing me," she moaned.

"Just wait a little bit longer for me, Becs. I promise it'll be worth it," Chloe whispered back in a low tone. "I promise it'll be worth it," she repeated a few moments later.

Beca groaned and then moaned. "Don't make it too much longer. I don't want to finish the race before you even start," she said, making Chloe chuckle a little.

"Do you really think I'd let that happen, baby?" Chloe asked, chuckling some more as she shook her head. Then, without warning, she snuck her hand into Beca's underwear and started toying around with her bundle of nerves.

"Oh fuck," Beca gasped, throwing her head back against the pillows and letting out a long moan. "Fuck, that's so good."

Chloe did this for a little while longer before stopping altogether. She then leaned down and pressed her lips to Beca's, slowly sliding a finger inside of her as she did so.

"Oh my god," Beca moaned, her hands gripping the cushions of the couch as Chloe began to finger her. "Right there-" she gasped at a particularly hard thrust. "Shit, Chlo, that's so good."

Chloe built up a steady pace with her thrusting before starting to go faster and harder, knowing that Beca would love that. "I've missed this so much, Becs. So, so much," she muttered.

Beca cupped Chloe's face in her hands and pulled her into a kiss so she could both hear and feel the moans. "Fuck, Chloe. You sure haven't lost your touch," the brunette mumbled against the redhead's lips.

Chloe kissed Beca back with passion, sliding her tongue across the brunette's bottom lip to ask for entrance. The redhead then added another finger to the equation and smirked when the moans got even louder. "That's it, baby. Moan for me."

Beca couldn't help but moan again at Chloe's words. "Mmm. Oh my god, Chlo," she whispered.

"How close are you?" Chloe asked, starting to thrust her fingers harder and faster.

"Fuck. I'm so close, Chlo," Beca moaned, arching her back off of the couch and moaning even louder. "I need more, baby," she begged.

"What do you need, baby? Tell me what you need and I'll give it to you," Chloe replied, moving her lips back to Beca's after she finished speaking.

"I need your mouth, Chlo," Beca moaned, her eyes rolling into the back of her head as her ex-girlfriend continued thrusting her fingers in and out.

"I thought so," Chloe said, a smirk making its way onto her face. She then withdrew her fingers and replaced them with her mouth, sucking on Beca's folds for awhile before starting to swirl her tongue around.

"Oh fuck," Beca groaned, instantly grabbing Chloe's head and tugging at the ends of her hair. "Mmm, Chlo. Shit, I'm so fucking close," she groaned again, squirming around as Chloe pleasured her with her mouth.

"I know you are, baby. I can feel it," Chloe mumbled back, holding Beca down by the hips so she couldn't arch her back off the couch anymore. "Come on, Becs. Let go for me," she encouraged.

"Shit, Chlo!" Beca screamed as her orgasm ripped through her body. "Oh my god! Fuck, Chloe!" She moaned, pushing Chloe's head impossibly closer to her core.

Chloe went harder and faster than ever before while Beca rode out her high. "Mmm, you taste so good," she murmured.

Once she had come down from her high, Beca pulled Chloe up and kissed her lips, running her fingers through the redhead's hair as well. "You're so damn good at that, Chlo," the brunette said. "I can't even begin to describe how amazing you are when it comes to giving head," she added with a chuckle.

"I can say the same about you, babe," Chloe said with a giggle. She then gazed into Beca's eyes, biting her lip a little as she did so. "Would you like to return the favor?"

"Is that even a question?" Beca said before kissing Chloe, pulling the redhead up so she was straddling her at the same time. "I'm going to rock your world. You won't be able to stop moaning my name for weeks, and you'll only want me to touch you," she whispered.

These words made Chloe shiver. "Fuck," she muttered under her breath, closing her eyes and biting her lip.

Beca smirked at Chloe's reaction and then started to leave kisses all over her chest, sucking a few hickeys into her skin as well. The brunette also left a few love bites, soothing them with her tongue before moving to the next spot. "Take your bra off for me, Chloe," she instructed.

Chloe did as Beca told her. She sat up and reached behind her back, unclipping her bra and letting it fall to the floor. The redhead then cupped the brunette's face in her hands and smashed their lips together in a passionate kiss.

Beca slid her tongue inside of Chloe's mouth as her hands scratched softly along the redhead's body, starting the top of her back and working her way down to the redhead's thighs. "What do you want me to do to you?" The brunette mumbled.

"You know what I want you to do to me," Chloe mumbled back, tugging at Beca's bottom lip with her teeth as their lips moved together in perfect sync.

Beca spread Chloe's legs apart before laying her down on the couch. "You're even more beautiful than you were in high school, and that's saying something."

Chloe blushed at Beca's words. "Thanks, Becs. You don't look too bad yourself," she whispered, a smile making its way onto her face as she spoke.

"Thank you," Beca said, smiling when she saw the ladybug tattoo on Chloe's arm. It reminded her of when they got their bug tattoos together, which was one of her favorite memories of them together. Beca then started kissing down Chloe's arm, pressing a gentle kiss to the tattoo before moving her lips back up to her shoulder.

Chloe sighed with content as Beca's lips traveled all over her body. "That feels so good, Becs," she murmured, pushing the brunette's head down closer to her skin.

"It's about to feel even better," Beca whispered before moving her lips to Chloe's chest, making sure not to leave an inch of her skin untouched.

Chloe squirmed with anticipation when Beca said that. "I need you, Becs," the redhead whispered back, biting her lip and moaning softly as well.

Beca smirked and took Chloe's underwear off. She dropped the underwear onto the floor next to the couch and began kissing down her stomach towards her core, occasionally sucking hickeys into her skin as well. After that, Beca kissed up and down Chloe's inner thighs before giving her what she needed. The brunette started sucking on the redhead's folds, flicking her tongue around gently to get started. "Mmm, you taste even better than I remember."

"Fucking hell," Chloe groaned, pushing Beca's head down closer to her core. She then let out a long moan and arched her back off of the couch a little. "Fucking hell," she repeated.

Beca pushed Chloe's legs apart to give herself as much access as possible. "Do you like that, Chlo?" She mumbled, sucking softly on the girl's clit.

Chloe opened her mouth but couldn't get any words to come out, so she nodded her head and moaned again instead.

As her lips and tongue created pleasure for Chloe, Beca's hands went to Chloe's boobs, massaging them as she went down on Chloe. "Mmmm," she hummed, creating vibrations against Chloe's core to further increase her pleasure.

"Shit, Beca," Chloe whimpered, pushing the brunette's head down even closer to her core. "Keep doing that, Becs. Fuck, that feels good."

Beca continued to go down on Chloe, swirling her tongue around the girl's folds even faster now. She then moved one hand down and slid two fingers inside of Chloe, taking her by surprise. "You're so wet, babe."

"Only for you," Chloe muttered, her eyes rolling back into her head as Beca started thrusting her fingers in and out. "Fuck, Beca. Just like that," she moaned.

Beca kept rolling her tongue against Chloe's core while her fingers thrusted at a perfect pace. "Who knows your body better than anyone else?" She asked.

"You, Beca. You know my body better than anyone else," Chloe moaned, arching her back off of the couch a little more.

"I can feel how close you are, baby," Beca said, smirking as Chloe's walls began to clench up around her fingers.

Chloe nodded her head before moaning again. "I'm so close, Becs. So, so close," she murmured.

These words spurred Beca on. She slid a third finger inside Chloe and began thrusting harder and faster than ever before. While she did this, the brunette continued to suck on the redhead's clit, causing her to squirm around. Beca used her free hand to hold Chloe down to the couch, maintaining the same pace as she did so.

"Oh God," Chloe moaned, feeling herself getting even closer to her climax. Her eyes then suddenly opened wide. "Beca! I'm gonna-"

The redhead hit her orgasm, letting out a long and low moan. Beca, who continued her ministrations throughout, smirked even more when she heard Chloe say her name multiple times. "Mmm, baby. You taste fucking amazing."

Chloe's chest heaved as she came down from her high, and a couple beads of sweat trickled down her forehead. "Holy shit, Beca," she said, chuckling softly for a little while.

Beca pressed a kiss right above Chloe's core as she pulled her fingers out, sucking the girl's cum off of her fingers before slowly trailing her lips up her body. The brunette finished the trail off by kissing the redhead's lips. "That was the best sex that I've had since the night before we went our separate ways," Beca said with a smile as she lay down next to Chloe.

"Same here," Chloe said, chuckling a little more. She then turned her head so she was looking at Beca. "I've really missed you, Becs."

"I've missed you too," Beca said, smiling softly for a moment. She then looked up at the ceiling and let out a sigh of content before wiping some of the sweat from her forehead. "I wish you didn't have to leave in two days."

"Me too," Chloe said, closing her eyes and sighing to herself. She then looked back to Beca a few moments later. "Thanks for being so welcoming to me. I really appreciate it," she stated.

"Believe me, the pleasure was all mine," Beca said with a chuckle. "But you're welcome, Chlo. You're always welcome here," she added, putting one hand behind her head. After a moment of silence, Beca sat up and grabbed her clothes. "We should probably get back to the party now."

Chloe nodded her head and sat up as well. "Yeah, we should," she said, picking her clothes up from the floor and starting to get dressed again. While she was doing this, a thought popped into her head. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"I mean, you just asked a question, but yeah," Beca said, chuckling again. "What's up?" She asked.

"Jesse told me that you stopped talking to him, Chicago, and Benji for awhile, and that I wasn't the only person you cut off. Is that true?" Chloe asked cautiously, knowing that it was a touchy subject for them to talk about.

Beca froze for a moment and then began to nod her head slowly. "Yeah, it's true," she said, running her fingers through her hair and sighing softly before sitting back down on the couch.

"Why did you isolate yourself from everyone? That doesn't sound like something you would do," Chloe said, fixing her hair after putting her dress back on.

"No, it's not," Beca said, letting out another soft sigh. "I didn't want to do it, but I did. I couldn't…" she trailed off, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I couldn't let anyone see how weak I was."

Chloe raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Weak? How were you weak? You're not making any sense, Becs."

Beca opened her mouth to say something but stopped herself. She looked down at the floor for a few moments and then spoke up. "You won't believe me if I tell you how, Chlo," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Try me," Chloe said simply, which made Beca look up at her. "I'll believe you if you tell me the truth."

"I cut everyone off because I was depressed, okay?" Beca blurted out. The brunette spoke again after a long moment of silence. "You don't believe me," she said, shaking her head before looking down again.

"Oh yeah? And how would you know that?" Chloe said, crossing her arms and furrowing her eyebrows. "I'm confused, that's for sure. Sure, I'm confused, but that doesn't mean I don't believe you," she added firmly.

"You don't believe me, though. Then again, why would anyone believe me? Someone like me shouldn't be depressed, right? But I was. I still am, actually. It's better now, but it wasn't like that before. You want to know how I was weak? I was weak because I couldn't handle the pressure. I wasn't prepared for it, and I couldn't handle it. That's how I was weak," Beca said, looking directly into Chloe's eyes as she spoke.

Chloe took a deep breath and sighed before tucking some of her hair back and looking at the floor for a moment. "I believe you, Beca. I do believe you. I just don't understand why didn't call me, that's all," she said, looking back up at Beca.

"I stopped calling you because I didn't want you to find out. I thought you wouldn't want me anymore if you did," Beca stated, her voice cracking with emotion as she said that last sentence. She then paused, taking a couple deep breaths to regain her composure. "I thought you wouldn't want me anymore. And I don't know why I thought that, but I did. I convinced myself that you wouldn't want me if you found out that I was weak, that I couldn't handle the pressure. I wanted to call you, Chloe. I wanted to call you so badly, but I just couldn't do it. I couldn't take that risk."

"Beca," Chloe started, her heart breaking at the brunette's words. "I will always, always want you. Nothing will ever change that," she finished, cupping Beca's face in her hands and lifting her head up so they were looking into each other's eyes.

"You mean that?" Beca asked softly, a few tears falling down her face after she finished speaking.

"Of course I do, Becs. I haven't stopped wanting you since the day you dropped me off at the airport," Chloe said, wiping Beca's tears away with her thumb. "No matter what you're going through, I will always want you. I don't care if you're on top of the world or at the bottom of the heap. I will always want you," she stated genuinely. "I promise that nothing will ever make me stop caring about you, and that I'll always be there when you need me to be. That's a fact."

Beca smiled softly at Chloe's words. "I'm so sorry, Chlo. I really am. I should've told you what I was going through instead of pushing you away. You didn't deserve that, and I'm sorry," she said, sniffling.

"Just don't push me away anymore, and we'll be okay," Chloe replied, smiling gently before placing a kiss to Beca's forehead. "Sound good to you?"

Beca nodded her head and smiled more, blushing a little when Chloe kissed her forehead as well. "Yeah, that sound good to me."

 **Well, we hope that chapter made you guys more content than the last few chapters. We did not mean to upset or disappoint any of our readers with some of the stuff that has happened in the story. But trust me, we plan everything out before we actually write the chapter. Hope you guys like this chapter!**

 **Until Next Time.**


	7. Chapter 7: Friends Again

Chapter 7: Friends Again

Chicago walked around the different tents at the farmers' market, holding a basket in one hand and a map in the other. He was looking for some food to buy and bring back to his apartment. While he was shopping, the young man was stopped by a couple Niners' fans who praised him for his play. It was only three weeks into the NFL regular season, but Chicago had already made an impact for his team; he had ten receptions and four touchdowns so far. Chicago talked with the fans for awhile and took a few pictures with them before continuing his shopping. While he was in the fruit section, he saw a flash of dark brunette hair out of the corner of his eye. He turned to get a better look at the person and smiled when he realized it was Stacie. "Hey, Stacie!" He called out to get the girl's attention.

Stacie turned when she heard someone call her name and smiled when she saw Chicago. "Chic! Hi!" She exclaimed, walking over to him and giving him a hug. "How are you?"

"I'm good. How are you?" Chicago asked, his smile growing wider as he hugged Stacie back. "I didn't think I'd be seeing you here today," he added with a chuckle.

"I always shop here for groceries. They have the most organic stuff for the best prices," Stacie said, the smile on her face growing wider as well. She then grabbed a couple cucumbers and put them in her basket before speaking again. "You had a great game last Sunday. You're really making a name for yourself."

"Thanks. I'm just trying to make a positive impact, that's all. I'm glad it's working, though," Chicago replied with a shrug of the shoulders.

Stacie smiled at Chicago's cute little shrug and then looked down for a moment. "Chic, I want to tell you how sorry I am for everything that's happened between us. I know I've already apologized, but I just felt like I needed to do it again."

Chicago shook his head. "You don't need to apologize again, Stacie. What happened between us is in the past. Don't worry about it," he stated.

"I know, but I want to make it right with you," Stacie said, smiling softly at Chicago. "Logan and I are hosting a dinner party for some of our friends tomorrow night. Is there a chance that you'd be able to make it?"

Chicago scratched the back of his head as he thought about Stacie's offer. He then started to nod his head slowly. "Yeah, I'll be able to make it. What time?"

"It starts at seven," Stacie answered, her heart fluttering at Chicago's words. "I'll text you the address, okay?"

Chicago nodded his head again. "Okay. I'll see you then. I'm looking forward to it," he said, a small smile making its way onto his face.

"Great! Feel free to bring drinks or some appetizers if you want to," Stacie said before putting a few more items in her basket. "I'll see you tomorrow night." After she said that, the brunette waved goodbye and started walking away.

"See you tomorrow night," Chicago called after Stacie, smiling a little more as he watched her walk away. _Damn, she's so beautiful,_ he thought to himself. The young man continued to watch the brunette walk away and sighed softly once she was out of sight.

Back in New York City, Chloe was standing outside the door of Freddie's apartment. She wasn't there for the usual reason; she was there to formally end their friends-with-benefits arrangement. The redhead wanted to remain friends with Freddie, but her heart belonged to Beca. Chloe closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening her eyes and knocking on the door.

The door opened a few moments later to reveal a smiling Freddie. "Hey, Chloe. To what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit?" He asked.

"Can I talk to you about something?" Chloe asked, biting her lip and looking down for a moment.

"Yeah, of course. Come on in," Freddie said, stepping aside so Chloe could walk into his apartment.

Chloe walked inside the apartment, waiting to speak until Freddie had closed the door and was giving her his full attention. "I want to talk about this whole fuckbuddy thing we have going on. We need to end it," she stated firmly.

Freddie's face fell a little when Chloe said that. "Oh, really? Why?"

"Well, we agreed to end our arrangement if one of us started to feel something for someone else," Chloe reminded him before sighing softly. "It does suck, because the sex was great while it lasted. But the truth is that I have feelings for someone, and I think you know who that someone is."

Freddie nodded his head and then looked down. "It was great while it lasted, and I don't regret doing it. I don't regret it one bit," he stated genuinely. "We'll still be friends, right?" He asked a few moments later.

"Of course we'll still be friends," Chloe said, putting a hand on Freddie's shoulder. "And I hope you know that I don't regret it either. You made me feel amazing, and I'll never forget that," she added, smiling at her friend.

Freddie nodded his head again. "So, what's next for you two? Are you gonna get back together?"

"Maybe someday," Chloe said, shrugging her shoulders. "I hope we do, but she's going through some personal stuff right now. Once she gets past that, we'll consider giving our relationship another try."

"Good. I hope you guys get back together too. I know you care for her a lot, and I know she cares for you a lot as well," Freddie said, smiling softly at Chloe.

"Thanks, Freddie. I knew you'd understand. You're a great guy," Chloe stated genuinely before fixing her jacket. "Anyways, I have to get to work. I'll talk to you later."

"Yeah, talk to you later," Freddie said, walking Chloe over to the door of his apartment.

Chloe stopped in front of the door and turned to give Freddie a hug. "Are there any cute girls at your new job?" She asked curiously.

"No, there aren't. Not yet, at least. I'll keep you updated," Freddie said, chuckling a little more after he finished speaking.

"You better," Chloe said, chuckling along with Freddie for a moment before opening the door. "I'll call you later, Freddie. Have a good rest of your day." With that, the redhead walked out the door, stopping again to smile and wave at her friend before she left the apartment building.

Chloe felt her phone start buzzing in her pocket as she walked down the street, so she took it out and smiled when she saw that Beca was calling her. She pressed the answer button and held the phone up to her ear before saying, "Well hello, Beca."

"Hey, Chlo. What's up?" Beca asked.

"I'm walking to work right now. What's up with you?" Chloe asked, smiling at the sound of Beca's voice.

"Uh, not much. I'm just sitting in my living room," Beca answered, scratching the back of her head. "I'm also talking to the most beautiful woman in the world," she added a few moments later, blushing a little as she said that.

Chloe too was blushing, and she bit her lip as Beca's words replayed in her head a couple times. "I wouldn't say I'm the most beautiful woman in the world, but thank you. How's therapy?" She asked. Beca had started going to therapy for her depression again, and her new therapist was great.

"It's good. I'm only going once a week now, so I'm making some progress," Beca said. "My new therapist is so awesome. I mean, it's not like my old one was bad or anything. I just feel like this one is helping me more. Then again, I didn't see my old therapist a lot, so that probably didn't help."

"I'm glad to hear it's been going well, Becs," Chloe said, a big smile on her face. "You deserve to be happy."

"Thanks, Chlo. You deserve to be happy too," Beca replied, a big smile on her face as well.

"So, what do you have going for on the rest of the day?" Chloe asked curiously.

"Well, I'm probably gonna do a little songwriting later. Other than that, I don't have anything else going on," Beca answered, running her fingers through her hair.

"I just remembered you're three hours behind me, so you still have half of your day left," Chloe said with a chuckle. "I can't wait to hear whatever you come up with. Your gift for songwriting never ceases to amaze me," she added.

Beca blushed a little at Chloe's compliment. "Thanks, Chlo. I can say the same thing about you and your gift for the piano."

"Thank you," Chloe said, blushing a little as well. There was a moment of silence between them before Chloe spoke again. "I ended my arrangement with Freddie," she stated.

"Oh, uh, okay. That's good, right?" Beca asked, mentally facepalming herself for her awkwardness.

"I think it is," Chloe said, chuckling a little. "I told him that…" She trailed off for a moment, smiling when she figured out what to say next. "I told him that I have feelings for a certain someone."

Beca smiled softly at Chloe's words. "That is good, then," she said, her smile growing wider as she spoke.

"Yeah," Chloe said, biting her lip and chuckling a little more. "Freddie was more than understanding. He's known about our history for awhile now. Anyways, I just wanted to tell you that."

"Thank you for telling me, Chlo. I'm really glad you did," Beca stated genuinely. There was another moment of silence between the two of them before Beca spoke again. "Well, I should probably let you go since you must be pretty close to Juliana's by now."

"Yeah, I am. I'll call you later, okay?" Chloe said as she crossed the street.

"Okay. Have fun at work," Beca said, still smiling softly.

"I will. Talk to you later, Beca," Chloe said as she walked into Juliana's, hanging up the phone after the door closed behind her.

Beca put her phone in her pocket after Chloe hung up before turning to see Amy standing in the doorway with a smirk on her face. "What?" She asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"You are so whipped, Shortstack," Amy stated, chuckling and shaking her head at the brunette. "And don't even try to deny it, because you can't."

"I didn't even say anything," Beca replied, holding her hands up in defense. "And, out of curiosity, what makes you say that?"

"Well, I heard some pretty sexual moans coming from the studio when I went looking for you guys during the party the other night," Amy said, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"S-so? How does that make me whipped f-for her?" Beca stuttered, her face turning bright red as she said that.

"That's not the only evidence I have. You're constantly on the phone with her, you write a ton of love songs about her, and you laugh at everything she says," Amy said, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow at Beca. "Need I go on?"

Beca shook her head and then looked down. "So what if I'm whipped for Chloe? I love her, Amy. I've loved her from the moment I saw her."

"If it's any consolation, I think she feels the same way. You and your relationship was all she talked about while she was here," Amy said, shrugging her shoulders.

Beca looked up when Amy said that. "Wait, really?" She asked.

"Oh yeah. Ginger definitely has feelings for you. She just knows how to control them, unlike Katie the Cabbage Patch Kid," Amy said, making Beca chuckle.

"You can say that again. Katie was something else," Beca said, chuckling a little more as she recalled the memory.

"Is she like that when you guys are at the studio?" Amy asked, sitting down next to Beca on the couch.

"Not really. I mean, she'll occasionally go out of her way to touch my hand or something like that. She's never been as touchy-feely as she was at the party before, though," Beca answered.

"Well, the good news is that you don't have to invite her to any more parties," Amy said with a chuckle. "So, when do you think you'll be ready to get together with Chloe again? You know, given the fact that therapy is actually helping you now."

"I honestly don't know," Beca said, scratching the back of her head and looking down for a moment. "Therapy is helping a lot more now, but it's not that simple. My depression isn't just gonna go away. It's something that I'll have to deal with for the rest of my life."

Amy then put a hand on Beca's shoulder. "I'm more than sure that Chloe will wait for you, no matter how long that wait is," she stated genuinely.

"I hope so," Beca said, sighing softly to herself. "I really care about her, Amy, and I hate what I did to her. I know I shouldn't still feel guilty about it, but I can't help it."

"If you ask me, the things she did with Freddie cancel out the things you did to her," Amy said, shrugging her shoulders and chuckling again. "But I truly believe that you two will get back together when you're ready to," she added a few moments later.

Beca smiled and nodded her head in agreement. "Me too. She means the world to me. I've never loved anyone like I love her," she said in a soft voice.

"Well, I hope you get her," Amy said before standing up. "What do you want for dinner?"

"Uh, I don't know. Why don't you pick?" Beca suggested before standing up as well.

"Alright. How does salmon burgers with avocado spread and sweet potato fries sound?" Amy asked.

"That sounds great. I can't thank you enough for doing all the cooking around here. We'd both probably be dead by now if I did the cooking," Beca joked.

"Yeah, probably," Amy said, chuckling at Beca's joke before heading into the kitchen.

The next day, Chicago was looking at his reflection in the mirror. He had already tried on two possibility outfits and was now wearing his third one. _Come on, Chicago. This shouldn't be that hard. Just pick out an outfit and go with it_ , he told himself. The reason for his predicament was that he didn't know if it was a casual party or a formal party. The young man then took out his phone and texted Stacie to resolve the issue.

 **Chicago:** Hey, is there a dress code for this party?

Almost as soon as he pressed send, Chicago's phone buzzed with a reply from Stacie.

 **Stacie:** No, not really. Wear whatever you want :)

 _That doesn't really help_ , Chicago thought to himself. He then thought of what to say next, scratching the back of his head as he did so.

 **Chicago:** Okay, thanks. I'll see you in a little bit.

Chicago then went back to his closet and looked through his different options. He finally picked a white t-shirt, a light blue suit jacket, a pair of tan pants, and some black Vans. _Okay, this will do_. After he was dressed, the young man went to the kitchen and grabbed the bottle of wine he'd bought for the party before going to the parking garage. He got into his new Porsche Cayenne and put in the address for Stacie's apartment complex before turning his car on and pulling out of the parking garage.

It only took about fifteen minutes to get to Stacie's apartment complex. Chicago parked his car on the street and locked it before walking over to the building. He found Stacie's apartment and stood outside the door for a few moments to collect himself. Once he had done that, he took a deep breath and knocked on the door. The door opened a few moments later, and Chicago smiled widely when he saw Stacie. "Hey, Stace. How are you?" He asked, opening his arms for an embrace.

"I'm good! How are you?" Stacie asked, smiling as she hugged Chicago back. "I'm so glad you made it, Chic," she added after they pulled away from the embrace a few moments later.

"I'm good too, and I'm glad I made it as well," Chicago said, smiling back at Stacie. "I brought some wine," he added, handing the bottle to her before following her into the apartment. "Did I dress appropriately for the occasion?"

Stacie nodded her head, smiling even wider as she did so. "You didn't just dress appropriately for the occasion. You dressed perfectly for the occasion," she told her friend.

"So I look good then?" Chicago asked, making Stacie giggle a little. "That's a yes, I hope."

Stacie giggled a little more and then nodded her head again. "That's a yes. You look great, Chic," she said before looking down so Chicago wouldn't see that she had started to blush.

"Okay, good," Chicago said before scratching the back of his head. "Would you like to show me around your place now?" He asked.

"Oh, yeah. Right this way," Stacie said, gesturing for Chicago to follow her.

After they toured the apartment, the two of them joined Logan out on the balcony. "Welcome, Chicago. Do you like the apartment?" Logan asked, holding his hand out for Chicago to shake.

"Yeah, it's great," Chicago said, shaking Logan's hand. "You guys have a great view of the bay," he added.

"We do, don't we? It's great for watching the sunset," Logan stated before putting an arm around Stacie's waist and kissing her cheek.

Chicago pushed his jealousy down when he saw this, even though it pained him to do so. "It's in a great spot," he said, shuffling his feet awkwardly

"Well, I'm from San Francisco, so I know all the cool spots," Logan mentioned with a smile.

"Is that so? You and Stacie will have to show me around sometime, then. I don't have a lot of time for exploring on my own because of football," Chicago said, chuckling a little.

"Yeah, I can imagine. How often do you guys practice?" Logan asked curiously.

"We practice everyday for two and a half hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon, unless it's Sunday or Monday. Monday is recovery day, and Sunday is gameday, of course," Chicago explained. "It's a lot of work, but I enjoy every bit of it," he added.

"Jeez. That is a lot of practicing. No wonder you haven't had time to explore San Fran," Stacie said before giggling a little.

"Yeah," Chicago said, smiling at Stacie's adorable giggle. "I'll have more time to explore the city once the season's over," he added.

A couple hours later, Chicago was pouring himself a glass of wine when he felt a pair of arms wrap around him. He turned to see that it was Stacie, and he chuckled. "Hey, Stace. What's up?" He asked.

"Not much. What's up with you?" Stacie asked, biting her lip and then giggling a little.

"Just enjoying casual conversation with the rest of your guests," Chicago replied before Stacie let go of him. "This is quite the party you've put on here," he mentioned, taking a small sip of wine after he finished speaking.

"Thanks. I'm glad you're enjoying it," Stacie said with a smile, biting her lip again as she did so.

Chicago looked down for a moment and took a deep breath before looking back up at Stacie. So many thoughts ran through his head as he gazed at the beautiful woman in front of him. _Why can't Stacie and be I hosting this party together? Sure, Logan's nice and all, but she should be with me._ Chicago knew better than to cause a scene, so he changed the subject. "How's medical school going?"

"It's going well. I would ask how football season is going, but I already know the answer to that. The Niners are the talk of the town. I can't remember the last time they won their first three games in a row," Stacie said with a chuckle.

"Yeah. I can't take all the credit for that, though. We have a great coach and great players, and we also have great chemistry," Chicago said with a shrug of the shoulders before taking another sip of wine. "But I don't want to talk about me too much. I want to hear about you. What are you learning? What kind of doctor have you decided to become?"

"I'm going to become an oncologist, which is a doctor that specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer. My grandpa died from cancer when I was little, so that's the main reason why I decided to study oncology," Stacie answered.

"Wow, Stacie. That's incredible," Chicago stated genuinely. "I know for a fact that you'll be the best oncologist in the state of California."

Stacie smiled and blushed a little at Chicago's words. "I don't know about that, but thanks," she said, blushing a little more.

"How long are you in med school before you have your residency?" Chicago asked curiously. It was so nice to just talk to Stacie, and whenever they were together, he could feel himself falling deeper and deeper in love with her.

"I've only got a couple years of school left before my residency," Stacie replied, still smiling. "I'm really looking forward to my residency. If it goes well, I could get a job offer from them," she added.

"That really is incredible, Stacie. I know you're going to be an amazing doctor," Chicago said, biting his lip and smiling back at the brunette.

"Again, I don't know about that, but thanks," Stacie said, biting her lip as well.

"So, uh," Chicago started, trying to figure what to say. "You and Logan seem really happy together," he finished, scratching the back of his head.

Stacie nodded her head and then looked down for a moment. "Yeah, we are," she said quietly.

"I actually had the chance to talk to him earlier. He's a great guy, Stace, and he's just as crazy for you as I am," Chicago stated genuinely. "I'm glad you found someone who treats like they should."

"And I hope you find someone who does the same for you," Stacie replied, looking back up at Chicago as she said that.

Chicago then took another sip of wine. "Me too. I'll find her sooner or later. It's kinda hard to date anyone right now, though," he said, sighing softly to himself after he finished speaking.

"You'll have time for that during the offseason, though, right?" Stacie asked.

The truth was that Chicago didn't want to date anyone at the moment, not unless it was Stacie. He had spent the last five years planning the perfect first date for them, but he never got the chance to take her on it. "Yeah, I guess. I'm just not really looking for anyone right now, that's all."

"Oh, okay. Well, I'll let you know if there are any cute girls at my residency, even though you're not looking for anyone right now," Stacie said, winking at Chicago.

"Cool," Chicago said, trying to hide the hurt in his voice. "I'm, uh, I'm going to go get some air." Everyone had moved inside since it had gotten a little colder, so he was the only one on the balcony.

Stacie watched Chicago walk out onto the balcony before turning to see Logan standing behind her. "Hey, babe," she said, smiling widely at her boyfriend and before giving him a quick kiss on the lips.

"Hi. How are you? I haven't really had a chance to talk to you since everyone showed up," Logan said, taking a sip of his beer after their lips parted.

"I'm good. How are you?" Stacie asked, wrapping her arms around Logan's shoulders as she spoke.

"I'm pretty great, come to think of it. I am a little buzzed, but that's alright," Logan said with a chuckle

"I think it's safe to say that everyone's a little buzzed," Stacie replied with a giggle.

"Yeah, that's probably true," Logan said, nodding his head in agreement and chuckling some more. "I think Chicago's the only person who's controlled their alcohol consumption. He drove here in his Porsche Cayenne, which he showed to me. It's pretty sick." He then paused for a moment before continuing. "Anyways, he's the only sober one."

Stacie nodded her head, briefly glancing Chicago's way before turning back to Logan. "I think that this has been a successful party, don't you?" She asked.

"Oh, definitely," Logan said before leaning in to give Stacie a gentle kiss on the lips. "I'm gonna go check on everyone else. You go see if Chicago needs a jacket," he told her before heading out of the room.

Chicago smiled as he watched the sun dip underneath the sea, the sky getting even darker afterwards. He was currently trying to get Stacie out of his head, which was easier said than done. _She should be with me,_ he through to himself. _I wish I could just sweep her off of her feet and make her mine._ Chicago's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of a door opening. "Oh, hey Stacie. What brings you out here?"

"I was just gonna ask if you needed a jacket. It's pretty chilly out here," Stacie said as she closed the door behind her.

"Oh, no. It's okay. I'm alright," Chicago said, taking a deep breath. "You look a little cold though," he added before taking off his suit jacket and trying to give it to her.

"But now you'll be cold," Stacie pointed out, shaking her head when Chicago tried to give his jacket to her.

"I don't really mind the cold," Chicago said before wrapping his coat around Stacie's shoulders. He then looked back out at the skyline and the Golden Gate Bridge. "Your boyfriend sure knows how to pick out a good apartment," he commented.

"Yeah, he does," Stacie said, biting her lip and looking down for a moment. "I really am glad you made it."

"Yeah, me too." There was a moment of silence between the two before Chicago spoke again. "I'm not trying to beat a dead horse or anything, but what made you choose Logan instead of me?" He asked.

There was a blank expression on Stacie's face as she thought of an answer to Chicago's question. "Uh, I don't know," she answered, still looking down.

Chicago raised an eyebrow at these words. "You don't know? How can you not know? There must've been something that made you choose him over me," he stated, crossing his arms. "Stacie, I waited for you only to find out that you'd chosen him. I need to know why."

"Chic," Stacie started, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I was lost, okay? Halfway through my junior year, I found out that my parents were splitting up because my dad was having an affair with my mom's best friend. I was heartbroken. Logan was there for me, and it just turned into something more. I know it wasn't fair to you, but that's what happened," she finished, looking directly into Chicago's eyes as she spoke. "That's why I chose him over you, Chic. I'm not proud of the fact that I broke our promise, but I love Logan and I'm happy with him. I'm sorry."

"Oh," was all Chicago said at first. It took him a few seconds to process everything that Stacie had told him, guilt washing over him once he had done so. "Wow. Uh, I don't really know what to say," he added, scratching the back of his head and shuffling his feet awkwardly.

"It's okay. You don't need to say anything," Stacie replied. "I was an absolute mess; I'd just found out my dad was a total scumbag, and I wasn't processing things normally because of it. I didn't realize what I'd done until after Logan and I got together, and I couldn't face you. With everything going on in my family, it just felt like I couldn't catch a break."

"I'm so sorry, Stace. I really am," Chicago said, putting a hand on the brunette's shoulder to comfort her. "Nobody deserves that, especially not you," he added a few moments later.

"Don't apologize. It's not your fault that my father is a pig," Stacie said, looking up at Chicago as she spoke. "I want you to know that the night we spent together meant the world to me. It really did," she stated genuinely after a moment of silence between them.

Chicago smiled softly at Stacie's words. "It meant the world to me too," he replied, gazing into the brunette's eyes as he said that. "You know, that was actually the last time I was intimate with someone," he mentioned with a chuckle.

"Wait, what? You haven't gotten laid in four years?" Stacie asked, raising her eyebrows in surprise.

"Well, yeah," Chicago said, chuckling some more. "I mean, I did say that I'd wait for you," he added before taking a small sip of wine.

"Oh, right," Stacie said, looking down again. There was another moment of silence between them before she spoke again. "So, do you want to head back inside now?"

"Yeah, but I have one last question before we do," Chicago said, scratching his head. "Do you still have feelings for me? It's okay if you don't. I just want to know."

Stacie hesitated for a split second, biting her lip as she did so. Then, she started to nod her head. "Yes, I do," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Chicago's eyes went wide, as he didn't expect Stacie to say yes. "Really?" He asked, unsure if he had heard her correctly.

"Yeah, really. I didn't just stop having feelings for you, Chic. I'll probably never stop having feelings for you," Stacie stated before biting her lip again.

"I figured that I was just a high school crush since you started dating Logan," Chicago said with a shrug of the shoulders. He then made sure nobody was looking at them before stepping closer to Stacie. "I still have feelings for you too, if that wasn't already obvious," he told her before taking one of her hands in his.

"Don't worry, it's pretty obvious," Stacie said with a giggle before looking down at their hands and smiling softly. She then pulled her hand away from Chicago's, turning away from him as well. "We should go inside now."

"Yeah, we should," Chicago said, his face falling a little when Stacie pulled her hand away from his. He then took another sip of his wine, this one longer than the last.

Stacie nodded her head before walking over to the door. She then turned back to Chicago. "Thanks for letting me borrow your jacket for awhile."

"No problem. You can borrow my jacket whenever you want," Chicago said, a small smile making its way onto his face. He then spoke up a few moments later. "I hope Logan knows how lucky he is to have you."

"He does. I hope you know that I feel very lucky to have you in my life. You're a great guy, Chic, and I don't know what I'd do without you," Stacie stated genuinely, a smile spreading across her face as well.

Stacie then walked back into the apartment, leaving Chicago alone on the balcony once again. _If I'm such a great guy, then why aren't you with me?_ He thought to himself before going back into the apartment to join everyone else.

Chicago left the party a couple hours later. He needed to blow off some steam, so he decided to get some rounds in on his punching bag. The young man taped up his hands as soon as he got back to his apartment. He then walked over to the punching bag and stood in front of it for a few moments. Despite the fact that Stacie was happy with Logan, Chicago couldn't help but feel jealous whenever he saw them together. He knew that he wouldn't get any sleep that night unless he took out his anger and jealousy on the punching bag, so he began hitting it.

Chicago hit the punching bag over and over again until his hands started to hurt. When he took the tape off of his hands, he saw that he had split a few knuckles. _Well this is great_ , he thought to himself before letting out a sigh of frustration.

Stacie and Logan were currently cleaning their apartment since all the guests had left by now. "How was Chicago?" Logan asked as he washed one of the chip bowls.

"He was good," Stacie answered before putting a couple wine glasses in the dishwasher.

"You two were talking for quite some time. Is he doing alright?" Logan asked, walking up behind her and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Of course he is. Why wouldn't he be?" Stacie said, blushing a little when Logan kissed her cheek.

"I don't know. He seemed a little down when you two walked back in, that's all," Logan stated with a shrug of the shoulders.

"Well, I had just told him about what happened between my parents, so that's probably why he wasn't too cheerful," Stacie reasoned, sighing with content as she closed her eyes and leaned back into Logan's embrace.

Logan nodded his head before pressing a couple soft kisses to his girlfriend's neck. "Yeah, that is a pretty rough story. Your dad is a fucking asshole," he said, chuckling a little. He then turned Stacie around so she was facing him. "I hope you know that I'll never, ever do what he did. I love you too much to take advantage of you like that."

Stacie smiled softly at Logan's words, nodding her head as well. "I know you won't, and that's one of the many things I love about you."

"I can say the same about you, babe," Logan replied, smiling as he leaned in to kiss his girlfriend on the lips.

Meanwhile, Beca was working on a song in her studio. The song was about her experience with depression; it was finding things that brought her out of a dark place and back into the light. The brunette was writing the lyrics for the chorus when her phone started to buzz. Beca put her notepad and pen down so she could take her phone out of her pocket. She smiled when she saw that Chicago was calling and quickly pressed the answer button. "Well, if it isn't my favorite football player. What are you doing up so late?"

"Can't sleep. What are you doing up so late? I thought you'd be in the middle of your beauty sleep by now," Chicago said with a chuckle.

"Ha, ha. Very funny," Beca deadpanned, making Chicago chuckle some more. "I'm currently working on a new song, for your information. Anyways, why can't you sleep?"

"It's a long story," Chicago started, running his fingers through his hair and sighing. "I went to a party at Stacie's place tonight."

"Really? How did it go?" Beca asked curiously.

"It went alright. It was nice seeing her, and I got to meet some of her and Logan's friends," Chicago replied, sighing again after he finished speaking.

"That sounds like fun. How's Stacie doing?" Beca asked, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"She's good. She seems really happy with Logan, so that's also good," Chicago said before sighing once again.

"Ah, so that's why you can't sleep. You're jealous of Logan," Beca said, unable to keep herself from chuckling a little.

"Yeah, pretty much," Chicago said, chuckling a little as well. "I split a few knuckles on the punching bag because I couldn't get the image of them together out of my head," he added, cringing as he did so.

"Jeez, Chic. How hard were you hitting it? You should go make sure you didn't break it," Beca said, chuckling some more.

"No, it's not broken. I'd know if it was broken," Chicago stated confidently. "Remember freshman year when my wrist got slammed in between two defenders' helmets? That was the only time I've ever broken a bone, surprisingly."

"I wasn't talking about your hand. I was talking about the punching bag," Beca said, smiling and shaking her head. "Did something happen between the two of you tonight?" She asked a few moments later.

"No, not really. I did found out why she and Logan got together in the first place, though," Chicago mentioned. "Did Stacie tell you her parents got divorced?"

"No, she didn't. I haven't talked to her in awhile, actually. I mean, we do talk sometimes, but not as much as we used to," Beca replied.

"Her father had an affair with her mother's best friend, and Logan was there to sweep her off her feet," Chicago said, sighing heavily.

"Wow, that's rough. At least she had Logan to help her get through it," Beca said, scratching the back of her head as she spoke. "But I'm sure you would've done the same if you had the chance to," she added quickly.

"I definitely would've," Chicago stated, nodding his head in agreement. "Seeing her with him makes me sick. I mean, I know I should be happy for her, but I just can't."

"That's understandable. Yes, you should be happy for her, but you still have feelings for her. Of course you're gonna be upset when you see her with someone else," Beca pointed out.

"I am so in love with her, Beca, but I can't be with her because she's with someone else," Chicago said, running his fingers through his hair before taking a deep breath. "Now I know how you felt when you saw Chloe with me back in high school."

"Yeah, I guess you do," Beca said with a chuckle in an attempt to lighten the mood. "Keep your head up, Chic. After all, who knows what'll happen? You two could still be together, even if it's not right now."

"She's serious about him, Beca," Chicago stated, staring up at the ceiling as he said that. "I doubt I'll ever get the chance to be with her."

"That may be true, but like I said before, who knows what'll happen? Anything's possible," Beca said, trying to get Chicago to be optimistic about the situation. "And besides, she probably still has feelings for you," she added before shrugging her shoulders.

"She does, actually. She said so herself," Chicago mentioned. "But it doesn't matter now. She's more in love with Logan than she ever was with me."

"Are you sure about that? Because she was head over heels for you long before you even knew," Beca stated.

"She wasn't head over heels enough to wait for me," Chicago said, a somber tone in his voice. "Stacie's never been one to break a promise, and you know that. The only reason she would break her promise was because she found her soulmate. Even if she does have feelings for me, they're nothing serious."

"Well, I think she's still head over heels for you, but that's just my opinion," Beca said, shrugging her shoulders again.

"How's Chloe?" Chicago asked, changing the subject after a moment of silence between the two of them. "She told me you guys had quite the night at one of your parties."

"You could say that, I guess," Beca answered, feeling her face start to heat up.

"Was it any good?" Chicago asked, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Uh, y-yeah," Beca stuttered, now blushing even harder than she was before.

"Was it as good as last time?" Chicago asked, the smirk on his face growing even wider as he spoke.

"What's with all these questions?" Beca asked, biting her lip in an attempt to keep herself from blushing any more.

"I mean, you've been in love with her for six years but only had sex with her twice," Chicago pointed out with a chuckle.

"So? What's wrong with that?" Beca asked, furrowing her eyebrows a little bit.

"Nothing's wrong with that. I just want to know how it was, that's all," Chicago explained, chuckling some more after he finished speaking.

"Oh, okay," Beca said, chuckling along with Chicago for a few moments. "It was great. I'm really glad it happened because it made me really happy."

"Good. I'm happy for you, Beca," Chicago stated genuinely, a smile slowly making its way onto his face. "Chloe told me that she ended things with Freddie. You must be happy about that."

"Yeah, I am. I'm really happy about that, actually," Beca replied, a smile now on her face as well.

"Looks like things are falling into place for you," Chicago observed, still smiling. "If only my love life could sort itself out," he added, his smile fading away after he said that.

"Don't worry, Chic. Everything will work out in the end. I know it will," Beca stated confidently to reassure her friend.

"Thanks," Chicago said before letting out a short yawn. "I have training tomorrow, so I better get some sleep now. Goodnight, Beca."

"Goodnight, Chic. I'll talk to you later. Now, go get some sleep," Beca said, chuckling a little more before hanging up the phone.

Beca was about to put her phone back in her pocket when it started buzzing again. She smiled when she saw that Chloe was calling her this time, and she pressed answer almost immediately. "You're up awfully late, my friend," the brunette remarked with a chuckle.

"I said I was going to call you later, didn't I?" Chloe replied, chuckling along with Beca. "And I can say the same thing about you. Why are you still awake?"

"For the record, you're three hours ahead of me. It's 12:23 in the morning for me, so it's 3:23 in the morning for you," Beca pointed out. "To answer your question, I'm working on a song right now. Now, why are you still awake?"

"I don't know, actually," Chloe said, shrugging her shoulders and then yawning a little.

"Do you need to talk to me before you go to sleep now? Am I your lullaby or something?" Beca asked, making Chloe giggle a little.

"Mmhm. Can you sing me a song before I go to sleep?" Chloe asked sweetly.

Beca smiled at Chloe's request. "Sure. Did you have a particular song in mind?" She asked.

"Nope. Surprise me," Chloe said with a smile.

"Hmm, Let me think," Beca said, putting Chloe on speaker mode before turning to her keyboard. "Does a Disney lullaby sound good to you?"

"If it sounds good to you, then it sounds good to me. I did tell you to surprise me, after all," Chloe said, giggling a little more after she finished speaking.

"Alright then. This one is a classic," Beca stated before beginning to play a tune that Chloe instantly recognized.

"A Whole New World"- Aladdin

"I can show you the world,

Shining, shimmering, splendid.

Tell me, princess, now when did you last let your heart decide?

I can open your eyes,

Take you wonder by wonder.

Over, sideways, and under on a magic carpet ride.

A whole new world,

A new fantastic point of view.

No one to tell us no, or where to go,

Or say we're only dreaming.

A whole new world,

A dazzling place I never knew.

But when I'm way up here, it's crystal clear

That now I'm in a whole new world with you.

Unbelievable sights, indescribable feeling.

Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling,

Through an endless diamond sky.

A whole new world, a hundred thousand things to see.

I'm like a shooting star, I've come so far,

I can't go back to where I used to be.

A whole new world

With new horizons to pursue.

I'll chase them anywhere, there's time to spare.

Let me share this whole new world with you.

A whole new world,

That's where we'll be.

A thrilling chase, a wondrous place

For you and me."

Chloe couldn't help but smile as Beca finished the song. "I love your voice," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "You take my breath away every time you sing," the redhead added a few moments later.

Beca smiled and blushed a little at Chloe's compliments. "Thanks, Chlo. It means a lot to hear you say that."

"I wish I could be there in LA with you. I miss spending time with you, even if it's just as friends," Chloe said, unable to hide the sadness in her voice.

"Yeah, me too," Beca said, biting her lip and sighing to herself. The brunette then spoke again after a moment of silence. "You know, you could always come back to LA."

"What do you mean? Like, come and visit you?" Chloe asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"Yeah, that's what I mean. You could do that, or you could even move out here if you really wanted to," Beca said with a shrug of the shoulders.

Chloe was silent as she thought of what to say. "Wow. That's a big idea. What made you think of that?" She asked a few moments later.

"Uh, I don't know. I kinda just said the first thing that came to mind, to be honest," Beca answered, chuckling. "Would you consider moving out to LA?" She asked after a moment of silence.

"Well, it's certainly a lot to think about," Chloe started before biting her lip. "But I'll definitely consider it. I really miss you," she finished.

"I really miss you too, Chlo. You have no idea how much I miss you," Beca said, biting her lip as well.

"Beca, where would I get a job if I decide to do this?" Chloe asked, leaning back against her couch.

"I mean, there's plenty of restaurants in LA. Surely there's at least one that's looking for a pianist," Beca stated.

After thinking about it for a little while longer, Chloe took a deep breath and smiled. "Okay. I'll do it."

"Wait, what? You're actually gonna move to LA?" Beca asked, raising both of her eyebrows in surprise.

"If I can find a job out there beforehand, then yes," Chloe said, her smile growing wider as she spoke. "I mean, I'm the only one in our friend group who's not on the west coast. I miss everyone, especially you, Beca. I miss you the most," the redhead added.

Beca had a big smile on her face as well. "This is great!" She exclaimed enthusiastically. "Sorry for yelling. I'm just really excited," the brunette explained, blushing as she did so.

"So am I, Becs. I can't wait to see you again," Chloe said, still smiling widely.

"Me neither. I know it's only been a couple weeks since we last saw each other, but that's far too long in my opinion," Beca replied, running her fingers through her hair and sighing happily.

"Hey, Beca?" Chloe asked a few moments later.

"Yeah?" Beca asked, biting her lip as she awaited the redhead's response.

"I lo-" Chloe started, stopping herself before she finished that sentence. "I should go to sleep now."

"Yeah, you should," Beca said, sighing softly to herself. After a moment of silence, the brunette took a deep breath and spoke again. "Just so you know, I love you too."

Chloe smiled and blushed before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "I love you," she stated confidently, sighing with content as she did so.

Beca smiled and blushed as well. "Goodnight, Chlo. I'll talk to you soon. Sweet dreams."

"Goodnight and sweet dreams, Becs," Chloe replied before hanging up the phone.

Beca was smiling from ear to ear by the time the phone call ended. She put her phone back in her pocket before going over to one of the couches in the studio and sitting down. The brunette then replayed Chloe's words in her head a few times, the smile on her face growing even wider as she did so. Beca hadn't been this happy in a very long time.

 **Hey guys, we hope that you enjoyed this chapter. We know it wasn't a lot of Bechloe, but that was a pretty sweet moment at the end of the chapter. Wouldn't you agree? We know this story hasn't been your favorite so we apologize for that. But just so you know, Chloe is not a slut. And she's not all of a sudden into Beca again because she's rich. She's been in love with her since high school, and that hasn't changed. Of course you are open to have your own opinions about the story, but mine and my co-authors view is that Chloe is just a young girl in her twenties, just like Beca. We make decisions that aren't the best sometimes. And as for the fling with Freddie and the Chicago and Stacie stuff, we understand that some of you don't like it, but honestly all of their stories play a big part in the plot of the story.**

 **Anyways, we hope you enjoyed this chapter.**


	8. Chapter 8: Back in Seattle

Chapter 8: Back in Seattle

Beca thanked her Uber driver before getting out of the car, grabbing her luggage as she did so. The brunette looked up after she had set her luggage down and smiled when she saw her parents' house. She then picked her luggage up again before walking up the driveway and to the front door. Once she was at the door, Beca took a deep breath and then knocked, a smile still on her face.

The door swung open a few seconds later to reveal Henry and Hailee. "Beca!" They exclaimed in unison before throwing their arms around their older sister.

"Hey, you two. How's it going?" Beca asked, chuckling a little as she hugged her younger siblings back.

"We missed you so much!" Hailee said as they pulled away from the hug. "We were waiting in the front room for hours," she added, stepping aside so Beca could come inside.

This made Beca chuckle some more. "I missed you guys too. It's hard to believe that you were ten the last time I saw you," she said before grabbing her things and walking into the house.

"Yup, we're eleven now. That means we only have to wait two more years before we can go on tour with you!" Henry said, a big smile on his face. Cala and Jacob had agreed to let him and Hailee go on tour with Beca once they were thirteen.

"Yeah, that's right, but I don't want you guys to miss school for my tour. School is more important. You can come on tour with me during the summer, though," Beca stated, smiling back at her little brother.

Cala then walked into the room, cheering when she saw that her eldest daughter had arrived. "Yay! You're here! I've missed you so much, sweetie," she said, walking over to Beca and pulling her into a tight embrace.

"I've missed you too, Mom," Beca said as she hugged her mother back. "Where's Dad?" The brunette asked as they pulled away from the embrace a few moments later.

"He went to the grocery store to get some stuff for dinner, so he'll be back in an hour," Cala answered. "How was your flight?"

"It was good." The four of them then headed into the kitchen, where Cala got glasses of water for all three of them. "What's for dinner tonight?" Beca asked, taking a sip of water after she finished speaking.

"We're having Mexican lasagna with orange rice and refried beans, one of your favorites," Cala said, leaning back against the counter. "How is everyone down in LA?"

"Everyone's doing well. I haven't been doing a whole lot lately, besides working on new music, so that's kinda nice," Beca replied with a smile.

"Patrick and Cindy told me that Chloe was down there a couple weeks ago. How is she?" Cala asked.

Beca couldn't help but smile even more when her mom mentioned Chloe. "She's great. Being back on good terms with her feels so amazing," she said, sighing happily to herself.

Cala smiled at how Beca's mood lightened when she brought up Chloe. "I'm glad you two are talking again. I know how much she means to you, and I know how much you mean to her."

"She's actually gonna move out to LA soon, so that's exciting," Beca mentioned, still smiling from ear to ear.

"That is exciting, Beca. It'll be nice for her to be close to some friends," Cala said, still smiling as well.

"She's gonna stay with me until she finds a place and gets a job," Beca added before taking another sip of water.

"That's very nice of you to do, Beca. I'm sure Chloe appreciates that a lot," Cala stated.

"It's nothing. I'm just doing the right thing," Beca said with a shrug of the shoulders.

"So, are you two going to give dating another try?" Cala asked after a moment of silence.

Beca blushed at her mother's question. "I don't know. I hope so. I'd love to give dating another try," she said, biting her lip a little.

"Judging by the look on your face right now, I'd say that she'd love to give dating another try too," Cala stated with a chuckle.

"She wants to give dating another try. I know she does," Beca stated confidently, the smile on her face growing even wider.

"How come, Beca?" Hailee asked curiously.

"Well, she told me that she loves me a couple nights ago," Beca stated before looking down since she was now blushing even harder than she had been before.

"Really? What did you say?" Henry asked, eagerly awaiting his big sister's response.

"I said that I loved her too. What else was I gonna say?" Beca said, chuckling a little as she ran her fingers through her hair.

"But if you love each other then why aren't you together?" Henry asked, scratching the back of his head.

Beca hesitated for a split second. "It's complicated, buddy. We both have stuff that we need to work through before we can be together," she said, putting a hand on Henry's shoulder. "We'll consider getting back through once we work through our separate things and are ready to be in an actual relationship," the brunette added a few moments later.

"I hope you guys get back together. You were so happy when Chloe was your girlfriend," Hailee said.

"Me too, Haiz. I've never been happier than I was when Chloe and I were together," Beca stated, nodding her head in agreement.

There was another moment of silence before Cala spoke up. "How's Amy doing, Beca?"

"Amy's good. She told me that she's thinking about starting her own restaurant, so that's cool," Beca replied, a small smile spreading across her face as she spoke.

"That's awesome. She's such a great cook. She amazes me with everything she cooks for us when we visit," Cala said, a smile on her face as well.

"I honestly don't know what I'd do without her. I mean, I can barely make Ramen noodles," Beca said with a chuckle.

"I should've taught you how to cook before you left for LA," Cala said, chuckling along with her daughter.

"Yeah, you should've," Beca said, playfully crossing her arms and rolling her eyes at her mom.

"You can still learn how to cook. Maybe Amy can teach you when you get back to LA," Cala suggested.

"I guess I could do that," Beca said, shrugging her shoulders and then chuckling some more.

Jacob got back from the grocery store a little while later, a huge smile appearing on his face when he saw Beca. "Well hello, Beca," he said, setting the bags of groceries down on the dining table before giving his oldest daughter a hug.

"Hey, Dad. It's so good to see you again," Beca said with a smile as she hugged her father back.

"What time did you get here?" Jacob asked once they pulled away from the embrace.

"My flight landed about under two hours ago, and I took an Uber from the airport to here," Beca replied.

"Well, I'm very glad that you made it here safely." Jacob said as he picked up the groceries and carried them into the kitchen. "How's Amy, Jesse and all them."

"They're all good," Beca said, helping her father carry the groceries into the kitchen. "What have you guys been up to lately?" She asked curiously.

"Well, Henry has his first competitive piano recital on Saturday night," Jacob mentioned with a smile.

"That's awesome, Henry!" Beca exclaimed, turning to her little brother and patting him on the shoulder.

"I've been practicing three hours a day for the past month. I really hope I win," Henry said, biting his lip nervously and sighing softly to himself.

"Don't worry about it, Henry. You'll do great. I know you will," Beca stated genuinely, patting her little brother on the shoulder again as she spoke.

"Being great doesn't mean I'll win," Henry pointed out, sighing again.

Beca chuckled at Henry's words. "You're just like Chloe. She wanted to be the best or nothing at all."

"Of course I want to be the best. There's no point in trying if you don't want to be the best," Henry stated.

"I didn't say that you shouldn't want to be the best. What I'm saying is that it's okay to not be the best. I'm nowhere near being the best at what I do, and I'm perfectly fine with that," Beca said with a shrug of the shoulders.

"If I don't win this, I won't move onto the next round. I want to go to Juilliard for piano just like Chloe did," Henry said before looking down for a moment.

"And you will. We all believe in you, Henry. Sure, not advancing in the competition would be disappointing, but it won't be the end of the world if that happens. At least, it shouldn't be," Beca said, trying to reassure her little brother.

"I know, I know. I'm just really nervous, that's all," Henry said, sighing once more after he finished speaking.

"It's okay to be nervous. Just don't let your nerves get the best of you, okay?" Beca said in a gentle voice.

"I won't," Henry said, a small smile spreading across his face. "Do you think we could call Chloe before the competition so she can wish me good luck?" He asked.

"Of course. I'm sure Chloe would love to wish you good luck before your performance," Beca replied, smiling at Henry as she said that.

"Cool!" Henry said, a bright smile on his face.

Beca then turned to her little sister. "What about you, Haiz? What have you been up to lately?"

"Mostly drawing. Some of my teachers hung my drawings up in their classrooms," Hailee answered with a proud smile.

"That's so awesome Haiz. I hope you have a new picture for me to hang up at my house," Beca said, leaning over and kissing the top of Hailee's head. "By the way, I'm taking you two out for the whole day tomorrow. Is there anything in particular that you'd like to do?"

"Can we go to the zoo?" Henry asked, a hopeful glint in his eyes.

"Can we go to the art museum too?" Hailee asked a few moments later.

"Yeah, we'll make time for both of those things. What else would you like to do?" She asked.

Henry scratched the back of his head as he thought of some other things they could do. "Can we go to the Space Needle or Lake Union?"

"Mmhm. Tomorrow's definitely gonna be a great day," Beca said, smiling at her younger siblings. "I can't believe how grown-up you guys are now. It's crazy to think that you're already eleven years old."

"It's crazy to think that you're already twenty-three years old, Beca," Cala interjected. "If anyone's grown-up, it's you," she added, smiling.

"Oh, I don't know about that. There are times where I feel like I still have the mind of a teenager," Beca said with a chuckle.

"We all have our moments," Cala said, chuckling along with Beca. "I'm just so proud of you, sweetie. You've become an amazing young woman, and being able to call you my daughter is an honor."

"Thanks, Mom," Beca stated, smiling widely at her mother's words.

Later that night, Beca decided to FaceTime Chloe so she could talk to the twins for a little bit. "Hey, Chlo. How was work?" The brunette asked when the redhead answered the FaceTime call.

"Work was good. I sent my resume to a couple more places today, but I haven't heard back from anyone yet," Chloe said. "How was your day today?"

"My day was pretty good. I'm not gonna talk about it, though, because there are a couple people who want to say hi to you," Beca replied before turning the camera so Chloe could see Henry and Hailee. "Say hi to Chloe, you guys!"

"Hi Chloe!" Henry and Hailee said in unison, both of them having big smiles on their faces as they waved at the camera.

"Henry, Hailee!" Chloe said enthusiastically, smiling and waving back at the twins. "You guys are so grown-up now. I can't believe you're eleven!"

"I wish we were thirteen already. Mom and Dad said we can go on tour with Beca when we're thirteen," Hailee mentioned.

"That'll be fun," Chloe said, still smiling. "So, Henry, Beca tells me you're into piano now. That's awesome!"

"Yeah! I have my first competition this Saturday. I wanna go to Juilliard for piano so I can be just like you," Henry stated, the smile on his face growing even wider.

Henry's response made Chloe smile even wider, as she was happy to see that she had inspired someone. "I can't wait to see what you achieve, Henry. You shouldn't want to be like me, though. You should want to be like you because you're one of a kind."

"But I do want to be like you. You're my role model," Henry stated genuinely.

"Aww, Henry. That's one of the sweetest things anyone has ever told me," Chloe said, pressing her hand to her chest. "Hailee, I heard that you're a kick-butt artist. Am I going to get some new drawings to hang up in my apartment?"

"I can make you some if you want," Hailee offered.

"I would love that, Haiz. Your drawings always make me smile," Chloe said.

Beca then turned the camera back to herself. "How's the job hunting going?" She asked, smiling and biting her lip.

"Didn't I just tell you about it?" Chloe asked, giggling a little.

"Oh, yeah. My bad," Beca said, smiling sheepishly as she ran her fingers through her hair. "I guess I'm just excited. The thought of you moving out to LA has been stuck in my head for the last week," she added, blushing a little as well.

"Same here. I can't wait to be out on the west coast. Don't get me wrong—I love New York. I'd just rather be where my friends are," Chloe stated, smiling back at Beca.

"You know, I was actually thinking about getting a place in New York for when I came to visit you," Beca mentioned.

"Wait, really? Why didn't you mention it before?" Chloe asked curiously.

"Well, we weren't on good terms yet, so I didn't think that you'd want me in New York a lot. I kinda just forgot about it after that," Beca explained.

"Oh, okay. That makes sense," Chloe said, giggling a little.

Beca smiled at Chloe's adorable giggle. "Yeah. But now that you're moving to LA, I don't have to get a place in New York. I do like it there, though. It's a cool city."

"Yeah, it is. Spending the last five years of my life there has been amazing," Chloe stated, smirking a little as she said that.

"What's that smirk for?" Beca asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, nothing. I just think it's funny that you haven't noticed I'm not in my apartment," Chloe answered before giggling a little more.

"Wait, you're not? If you're not in your apartment, then where are you?" Beca asked, now raising both eyebrows.

"Why don't you come see for yourself?" Chloe suggested, the smirk on her face turning into a smile.

"What do you mean?" Beca asked, scratching the back of her head as she tried to figure out what Chloe was getting at. Her eyes then went wide a few moments later, a grin appearing on her face as well. "No way."

"Yes way," Chloe said, smiling even wider. "Why don't you come see for yourself?" She repeated.

Beca didn't need to be told twice; she immediately got up and ran out the front door, not bothering to close it behind her. The brunette then turned to see Chloe, who waving at her from the porch of her parents' house. "Hey, stranger!" The redhead called over to her.

"How on Earth did you get here?" Beca asked, shaking her head in disbelief as she walked over to Chloe.

"Your parents bought me a plane ticket so I could come and visit you guys. I'm gonna be here for the next couple of days," Chloe replied, pulling Beca into a tight embrace once she reached her. "I wanted to see you and your family, but mostly you."

"I can't believe you're here," Beca said, smiling as she hugged Chloe back. "When did you get here?"

"Last night. I didn't tell you because I wanted to surprise you," Chloe answered, pulling away from the embrace a few moments later.

"Well, it worked. I still can't believe you're here. I wasn't expecting this at all," Beca said with a chuckle.

"This is a good surprise, right?" Chloe asked, taking both of Beca's hands in her own. "I know this is your week with the twins, but I really wanted to see you. I've missed you so much over these last couple weeks."

"Of course this is a good surprise, Chlo. And I really wanted to see you too," Beca said, squeezing Chloe's hands gently.

"Okay, good." Chloe then saw two figures approaching them out of the corner of her eye, and she smiled when she realized that it was the twins. "Henry! Hailee! How are you guys?" She asked, giving them each a hug once they reached her and Beca.

"We're good. We missed you so much, Chloe," Hailee said as she hugged Chloe back.

"I missed you guys a lot too. It's so nice to finally see you again!" Chloe said enthusiastically.

"Does this mean that you can come to my competition on Saturday?" Henry asked.

Chloe smiled and nodded her head. "Of course I'll come to your competition, Henry. I knew I had to hear you play ever since Beca told me that you were into piano," she stated.

Henry smiled at Chloe's words. "I'm not as nervous anymore now that I know you're gonna be there," he said cheerfully.

"That's good to hear," Beca said before turning to Chloe. "Should we head inside? I bet my parents would really like to see you."

"Yeah, we should. My parents would like to see you too, so you should come over later to say hi," Chloe replied, smiling.

"I definitely will," Beca said, a smile on her face as well. The four of them then began walking over to the Mitchell house. Beca almost reached for Chloe's hand while they were walking together but stopped herself from doing so, as she didn't want to make things awkward between the two of them.

Jacob and Cala were waiting for them on the front porch, both of them smiling widely. "Hello, Chloe. It's so good to see you again," Cala said, opening her arms for an embrace.

Chloe hugged Cala for a moment, giving Jacob a hug afterwards. "It's great to you too, Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell. It's been such a long time since I saw you last."

"Yes, it has. It's been over five years, if I remember correctly," Jacob stated as he hugged Chloe back for a moment.

"You do remember correctly," Chloe said, giggling a little. "It's been way too long since I've been here," she added.

"Chloe, will you come listen to me play a song?" Henry asked sweetly.

"Sure. What song are you going to play?" Chloe asked.

"I'm gonna play one of Beca's songs so she can sing along," Henry answered before turning to his older sister and smiling at her.

"Let's go in and give everyone a little performance, shall we? I'll even play guitar," Beca said, smiling back at Henry. "Does that sound good?"

"That sounds good to me. What about you guys?" Cala asked, looking around at everyone else as she spoke. When they all nodded, Cala turned around and lead them to the music room.

When they got to the music room, Henry sat down at the piano while Beca grabbed one of her old guitars. After she had tuned the guitar, the brunette turned to her brother and asked, "Which song are we gonna play?" Henry leaned over and whispered something in her ear before turning back to the piano. "Alright, we're gonna play a song that you should hopefully know already. We hope you enjoy," Beca stated before strumming a few chords on the guitar.

"Photograph"- Ed Sheeran

"Loving can hurt, loving can hurt sometimes,

But it's the only thing that I know.

When it gets hard, you know it can get hard sometimes.

It is the only thing that makes us feel alive.

We keep this love in a photograph.

We made these memories for ourselves.

Where our eyes are never closing,

Hearts are never broken,

And time's forever frozen still.

So you can keep me

Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans,

Holding me close 'til our eyes meet.

You won't ever be alone, wait for me to come home."

Chloe recognized the song after the first note, a smile making its way onto her face when she did. The redhead started nodding her head to the melody as the song neared its second verse, mouthing the words as well.

"Loving can heal, loving can mend your soul,

And it's the only thing that I know.

I swear it will get easier, remember that with every piece of you.

It's the only thing we take with us when we die.

We keep this love in a photograph.

We made these memories for ourselves.

Where our eyes are never closing,

Hearts are never broken,

And time's forever frozen still.

So you can keep me

Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans,

Holding me close 'til our eyes meet.

You won't ever be alone, wait for me to come home.

And if you hurt me, that's okay, baby.

Only words bleed, inside these pages

You just hold me and I won't ever let you go.

Wait for me to come home.

Wait for me to come home.

Wait for me to come home.

Wait for me to come home."

Bittersweet tears welled up in Chloe's eyes as Beca and Henry played the song flawlessly, and she couldn't help but think back to when they had danced to this song at their senior prom.

" _Chloe leaned her head on Beca's shoulder as they slow-danced to the beautiful song. 'I love you,' she whispered to her girlfriend with a smile as tears of joy welled up in her eyes._

' _I love you too, Chlo,' Beca whispered back, kissing her girlfriend's temple as they slowly swayed back and forth._

 _Chloe looked into Beca's eyes, happy tears now falling freely down her face as the song finished. She had never felt her heart beat so fast, and she had never felt more in love than in that exact moment. Chloe then leaned in and pressed a soft yet passionate kiss on Beca's lips, knowing it was the perfect way to end the dance."_

"Oh, you can fit me

Inside the necklace you bought when you were sixteen,

Next to your heartbeat where I should be.

Keep it deep within your soul.

And if you hurt me, that's okay, baby,

Only words bleed, inside these pages

You just hold me and I won't ever let you go.

When I'm away, I will remember how you kissed me

Under the lamppost back on Sixth Street,

Hearing you whisper through the phone,

'Wait for me to come home.'"

Beca couldn't help but smile as she and Henry played the last notes of the song together. Once the song was over, the brunette looked expectantly at her family. "How was that?" She asked.

"That was great, you two," Cala replied, smiling proudly at her children."

"What about you, Chloe? What did you think of it?" Henry asked the redhead.

"I thought it was great too. Good job," Chloe said, blinking away the tears in her eyes before anyone could see them.

Beca didn't see the tears in Chloe's eyes, but she did see the look on her face. She didn't look sad or happy; she looked like she had something on her mind.

A couple hours later, Beca and Chloe were hanging out in Chloe's old bedroom. "It still smells how it did the night before we left," the brunette commented as they went over to the redhead's bed and sat down.

"That's an interesting way of putting it, but I agree," Chloe said with a giggle. She then leaned her head on Beca's shoulder before closing her eyes and sighing with content. "I'm really glad I'm here," she murmured.

"Me too. I've missed you," Beca said as she looked around Chloe's old room, which hadn't changed much since she was last there. "I know we just saw each other a few weeks ago, but still," she added. After she said that, there was a moment of silence, and the brunette recalled some of the memories she had from being in this room. When she recalled one memory in particular, a smirk made its way onto her face. "The last time I was in this room, we had sex together for the first and second time. Once at night, and once in the morning."

Chloe blushed at Beca's words, looking down and biting her lip as she did so. "Yeah, we did. Both that night and that morning were so amazing," she said.

"You know, I've never felt more connected with someone than I did with you that night and that morning," Beca said, a soft smile on her face.

Chloe nodded her head in agreement before looking up at Beca, who was already looking at her. "Our time together meant the world to me, Becs. I know we weren't together for very long, but it truly meant the world to me," she whispered.

"Maybe we can be together again someday," Beca whispered back, gazing into Chloe's eyes as she spoke. "If you still want that, of course," she added a few moments later.

Chloe bit her lip before nodding her head again. "I still want that. Do you still want that?" She asked.

"More than anything." Beca then took Chloe's hand in her own and squeezed it gently. "I'm just not in the right state of mind right now, and I honestly don't know when I will be." There was a moment of silence between them before the brunette spoke again. "You'll wait for me, right?"

"Of course I'll wait for you, Becs. There's nobody else I'd rather be with," Chloe said, squeezing Beca's hand back. After another moment of silence, the redhead spoke again. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, sure. What's up?" Beca asked.

"You don't have to answer this if you don't want to," Chloe started, taking a deep breath before continuing. "What's it been like to have depression? What did you feel?"

Beca closed her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair as she thought of how to answer Chloe's question. "Well, I felt a lot of different things. I still feel those things from time to time, but it's nowhere near as bad as it used to be. I felt tired, angry, confused, and scared. Most of all, I felt lonely," she said. "I thought I could pretend that nothing was wrong; I thought if I put on a good face, then nobody would notice. But the more I tried to ignore it, the worse it became. It got to the point where I felt that the only thing I could do was push everyone away, so that's what I did."

"When did your family find out?" Chloe asked. She wanted to know more about what Beca had went through, as she had been so mad at her for the last three years that she hadn't even cared to hear her side of the story. That is, until now.

"They were the first people I told, but I didn't tell them for awhile. I can't remember how long I waited to tell them, but it was a pretty long time," Beca replied, scratching the back of her head as she spoke.

"I know this is hard for you to talk about. I'm just trying to see things from your point of view," Chloe stated, resting a hand on top of Beca's. "I blamed you for everything that happened without hearing your side of the story, and I'm sorry for that."

"You don't need to apologize, Chlo. I shouldn't have pushed you or anyone else away. I'm the one who should be apologizing," Beca said, looking away from Chloe for a moment.

"No, you're not. I should be apologizing because I treated you like shit. Hooking up with Freddie at the party and completely ignoring you was so insensitive of me. If I had only known what you were going through…" She trailed off, sighing softly to herself before continuing. "I know we're on good terms now, but I still can't help but feel guilty for the way I treated you."

"Why did you do it, Chloe? Like, why did you hook up with Freddie and all that?" Beca asked curiously.

"I did it for a couple reasons, actually," Chloe mentioned, biting her lip and looking down for a moment. "At first, I was fooling around with Freddie because I hadn't had sex in five years and needed to get back in the game, but I realized that I was really doing it to get back at you for sleeping with Camila. I wanted to hurt you, even though I knew it wouldn't make things better."

"Oh," was all Beca said in reply. There was a long moment of silence after that, as neither of them knew what else to say. Finally, Beca spoke again. "Uh, it's getting kinda late, so I should probably head home now."

"Beca, wait. Don't go yet," Chloe said, grabbing Beca's hand to try and make her stay longer. "I know what I did was wrong, and I'm so sorry. I love you more than anything in this world, and you know that."

"If you love me, then why did you want to hurt me?" Beca asked, unable to stop tears from welling up in her eyes.

"Because I was angry, Beca. I was angry that we had broken up, I was angry that we had lost contact, and I was angry that you had been hooking up with someone else. I thought you were hooking up with Camila to hurt me, so I hooked up with Freddie to hurt you," Chloe confessed, wiping tears that were in her eyes. "I had no idea what you'd been going through. From where I was standing, it looked like everything had fallen into place for you. I'm not trying to justify what I did, though, because I can't," she added, letting a couple tears fall down her cheeks. "I love you, Beca. I love you so much that it hurts whenever I'm away from you. I love you so much that I put your songs on repeat so I can hear your voice when you're not around. I love you, Beca."

"I love you too, Chloe, but I've never wanted and will never want to hurt you. I hooked up with Camila because I needed to feel something. I was so numb and so empty inside that I couldn't feel anything anymore," Beca said, her voice cracking with emotion. "It may have seemed like everything had fallen into place for me, but that's far from the truth. Everything was falling apart, and I couldn't do anything to stop it."

"And I know that now, Beca. If I could go back and undo what I did, I'd do it in a heartbeat." Chloe then cupped Beca's face in her hands and wiped her tears away with her thumb. "I love you," the redhead murmured before pressing a kiss to the brunette's forehead. "I love you," she repeated before kissing Beca on both cheeks. "I love you so much, Beca. Please don't go."

"I have to, Chloe. I'm sorry. I just can't stay here." Beca then started walking towards the door, only to have Chloe grab her hand again. "Chlo, let me go. Please."

"I already let you go once and it nearly killed me. I can't let you go again," Chloe stated, her voice weak from all the tears flowing down her face. "Don't go, Beca. We can figure this out. Please stay," she sobbed, practically begging on her knees at this point.

"I'm not ready, Chloe. I want to fix us, but I need to fix myself first, and I'm not sure how long that's gonna take," Beca said in a gentle voice. "We can and will figure things out, but not until I'm ready. Please don't cry. It's not you, it's me."

"Bullshit, Beca. You weren't planning on leaving until I told you why I hooked up with Freddie. If you're going to leave, at least be honest as to why," Chloe said, shaking her head and sniffling a little. "How many times are we going to push each other away?" She asked a few moments later.

Those last few words made Beca turn around so she was now facing Chloe. "I'm not trying to push you away, Chlo. I'm trying to get better," she stated, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I know that you're trying to get better, and I want you to get better," Chloe said softly. "But I also want to help you get better. You never let anyone help you with anything," she added before taking Beca's hands in her own. "I'll never forgive myself if I let you walk away again, Beca. I'll never forgive myself."

"You didn't let me walk away. I let you walk away. If I knew how big of a mistake it would be, I wouldn't have let you walk away," Beca said, looking down at their hands as she spoke. "I shouldn't need anyone's help for this. I'm the one who got myself into this situation, so I have to get myself out of it," she added before looking back up at Chloe.

"Everyone needs help sometimes, Beca. Depression isn't something that you can get through alone," Chloe stated firmly. Her eyes were red from crying so much, but she didn't care. "I know that you prefer solving problems on your own, but you don't always have to. I love you, and I can help you if you let me."

"What happens if I stay?" Beca asked, looking directly into Chloe's eyes. "What happens if I stay?" She repeated.

"I'll help you get better, and I'll make you realize that you don't always have to do this alone," Chloe answered, still holding Beca's hands in her own. "Please, just stay with me. We'll figure this out together, I promise."

Beca didn't say anything at first, a moment of silence dragging on for what seemed like forever as a result. Then, the brunette closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. "Okay," she said, opening her eyes after she finished speaking.

Chloe let out a sigh of relief when she heard Beca's response. "You won't regret this, Beca. I can promise you that."

 **We know there was a little bit of dram towards the end of this chapter, but we promise from here on out it's going to be a happier story. And don't worry, you won't have to wait as long as the last story for Bechloe to get together!**

 **Until next time!**


	9. Chapter 9: The Recital

Chapter 9: The Recital

"Don't worry, Henry. You'll be amazing tonight. Just focus on the music and nothing else," Chloe said with a smile as Beca drove them to Henry's piano recital. "What's most important is that you have fun," she added.

"But what if I mess up?" Henry asked while twiddling his thumbs anxiously.

"Like Chloe said, don't worry. You'll do great, buddy. I know you will," Beca said, turning around and smiling at Henry once she reached a stoplight.

"But what if-" Henry started before Chloe interrupted him.

"It's okay to be nervous, Henry. I was super nervous before my first recital, but my nerves went away as soon as I started playing," Chloe stated, her voice gentle but firm. "Also, you're more likely to mess up if you keep worrying about messing up, so try to think about something else for the time being."

"Like what?" Henry asked.

"Think about something you enjoy that's not related to piano. That always seemed to help me," Chloe replied.

"Okay," Henry said, scratching the back of his head as he tried to find something to take his mind off of the recital. "Uh, I like animals," he mentioned a few moments later, shrugging his shoulders as he spoke.

"What's your favorite animal? Mine is the red panda," Beca said as she pulled onto the highway.

"My favorite animal is either an elephant or a jaguar," Henry answered with a smile.

"And why do you like elephants and jaguars?" Chloe asked, a smile on her face as well.

"I like jaguars because they run fast and can see in the dark, and I like elephants because they're big and have really cute ears," Henry replied, now smiling even wider than he had been before.

"Those are some good reasons. I like red pandas because they're small and have really cute ears. Plus, they look like a cross between a cat and a fox, so that's cool," Beca said.

"What's your favorite animal, Chloe?" Henry asked.

"Hmm, let me think…" Chloe trailed off as she thought of an answer to Henry's question. "I really like dolphins. They're so majestic and fun-loving."

"I like dolphins too!" Henry exclaimed excitedly. "They're my third favorite animal behind elephants and jaguars," he explained.

"Is that so? I like elephants and jaguars as well. They're amazing creatures in their own way," Chloe stated before turning to Hailee. "What about you, Haiz? What's your favorite animal?"

"Lions," Hailee answered right after Chloe asked the question. "I've always wanted to hug a lion, but that's not a very good idea."

Beca chuckled at Hailee's words. "Yeah, I'd say that's not a very good idea. Even if it was a tame lion, it's still not a very good idea."

"You could probably hug a baby lion cub at a petting zoo. I did that once, and it was super cool," Chloe mentioned.

"Really?" Hailee asked, her eyes going wide with excitement.

"Yeah. You'll just have to find a zoo that does that," Chloe said, smiling at how excited Hailee was.

"We're here," Beca announced as she pulled into the parking lot of Henry and Hailee's middle school. "You have your sheet music, right?" She asked Henry.

"Yup. It's in my folder," Henry answered.

"Great. Make sure to bring it in with you. That's not something you want to forget," Beca said with a chuckle.

Everyone got out of Beca's car once it was parked. Then, Jacob and Cala pulled into the next parking spot a few moments later. "Alright, Henry, let's go get you checked in," Cala stated as she got out of the car.

"Are you excited to watch Henry play?" Beca asked Chloe as they made their way over to the school.

"You bet I am," Chloe replied, a big smile on her face. "I know he's gonna be amazing, and I know he's gonna win," the redhead added before they went into the school.

"He's definitely gonna win. He's put in too much work to not win," Beca said, nodding her head in agreement with Chloe's words. The brunette then looked down at the redhead's hand as they walked together, debating for a few moments on whether or not to link it with her own before ultimately deciding not to.

After Henry was checked in, they went to the auditorium and found their seats. Beca and Chloe sat next to each other while Hailee sat next to Chloe and Cala with Jacob sitting on the end. "What happens if Henry wins?" Hailee asked Chloe.

"I think he advances to another competition, but I'm not totally sure. Why don't you ask Beca about it?" Chloe suggested.

"Okay." Hailee then leaned forward so she could make eye contact with Beca while talking to her. "What happens if Henry wins?"

"Chloe's right; if he wins, then he advances to another competition. The next competition is regionals," Beca answered.

"And what's after regionals?" Hailee asked curiously.

"Nationals is after regionals. If Henry makes it there, then he'll be competing against the best piano players in the country," Beca stated, smiling proudly at the thought.

Hailee's eyes went wide at Beca's words. "So he'll be the best piano player in America if he wins?"

"He'll be the best piano player in America for his age group, so yes," Beca said, chuckling at the look of awe on Hailee's face.

"Is he going to play one of your songs?" Chloe asked as she browsed through the program she had picked up when they walked in.

"I don't know, actually," Beca replied, scratching the back of her head. "I asked him about it, but he didn't confirm or deny anything. I think he wants it to be a surprise," she explained.

"Yeah, probably. I think he'll play one of your songs. I mean, how could he not? You have so many great songs to choose from," Chloe said with a smile.

Beca blushed at Chloe's words. "Thanks, Chlo. I wouldn't have any great songs if it weren't for you, though."

Now it was Chloe's turn to blush. "I'm glad I sparked your inspiration," she said, trying to keep herself from blushing even more.

"You didn't spark my inspiration, Chlo. You are my inspiration," Beca stated genuinely. "That's why I said I wouldn't have any great songs if it weren't for you. Without you, I'd have no inspiration."

"That's sweet of you to say, Becs, but I can't possibly be the inspiration for every love song you write," Chloe stated. When Beca didn't respond at first, the redhead raised an eyebrow. "Can I?"

"Uh, you might be. Is that okay?" Beca asked, biting her lip after she finished speaking.

"Of course it's okay with me, Beca. It's nice to know that I'm still your inspiration after so long," Chloe said, smiling softly at the brunette.

"Good. I was worried that you'd say it wasn't," Beca said, sighing with relief as she smiled back at Chloe. "And I'm glad you're still my inspiration too. It would be a lot harder for me to write songs if you weren't still my inspiration," she added with a chuckle.

Beca's words made Chloe smile wider. The redhead then took one of the brunette's hands in hers and squeezed it gently. The lights dimmed a few moments later and the competition began shortly afterwards. Henry was last on the list, so it would be quite a while before his performance. "I really am excited to see Henry play," Chloe whispered to Beca during one of the other performances.

"Me too. I'm so glad I could make it to this, and I'm glad you could make it too. This means a lot to him," Beca whispered back.

"I'm sure it does." There was a moment of silence between the two of them before Chloe spoke again. "I remember doing these same competitions when I was his age. It was an incredible experience. I made it to the finals five times, but I never won," she said, scratching the back of her head. "I think Henry can win, though," the redhead added after another moment of silence.

"Same here. He's one of the most talented people I know, and I'm not just saying that because he's my brother. He truly is one of the most talented people I know," Beca stated genuinely.

"I hope I'm also one of the most talented people you know," Chloe replied, giggling.

"You're not," Beca said bluntly. "You're not one of the most talented people I know. You are the most talented person I know."

"Wait, what?" Chloe asked, unsure if she had heard Beca correctly. "How can I be the most talented person you know? You know Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and so many other talented people. I can't do half the things they can. I can't sing like Taylor, I can't write songs like Ed, and I can't play the guitar or drums like Benji and Jesse can," she said while looking down at her feet.

"I agree and disagree with what you just said," Beca stated, lifting Chloe's chin with her finger so they were looking into each other's eyes. "Experience certainly is helpful, but it's not equal to talent. Some people are naturally good at things that seem really hard. You can't know how good you are at something until you try it."

"But I have tried singing and playing the guitar, and I'm nowhere near as goo-" Chloe started before Beca interrupted her.

"First of all, you have a beautiful voice, so don't sell yourself short on that. Second of all, I taught you how to play the guitar, so that comment kinda hurt," Beca said, chuckling a little before getting serious again. "You're the most talented person I know, Chloe. I know you probably don't believe me, but it's true. It's one hundred percent true."

Chloe smiled and blushed at Beca's words. "Thanks, Becs. I can say the same thing about you," she murmured.

Beca shook her head. "That's impossible. How can I be the most talented person you know?" She said in a teasing manner while chuckling some more.

"You're so incredibly talented, Beca. You amaze me every single day with the songs you write and the way you sing them. It's so amazing. You're so amazing," Chloe replied, biting her lip at Beca as she spoke.

Beca too was biting her lip, but she was doing it to keep herself from blushing. "Thanks, Chlo. You amaze me too. You have no idea how much, either."

Chloe opened her mouth to say something else but was cut off by the sound of someone clearing their throat. "Could you girls lower your voices?" Cala asked politely.

"Yeah, of course. Sorry about that," Beca said, smiling sheepishly at her mother before turning back to Chloe, who was watching Henry walk onto the stage. The brunette then closed her eyes and took a deep breath before reaching for the redhead's hand, linking their fingers once she had grabbed it.

Chloe looked down at their hands and smiled softly before looking up at Beca, who was already looking at her. She bit her lip again and squeezed the other girl's hand once before giving her full attention to Henry, for his performance was about to start.

Each contestant was to perform a classical piece and a modern piece, so Henry was going to play Beethoven's fifth symphony and "Let it Be" by the Beatles. When he got to the piano, Henry took a deep breath and then sat down on the bench. He closed his eyes and took another deep breath before he began to play the first song.

Chloe smiled as she watched Henry play, able to tell that he was enjoying it just by the way he moved with the music. "He's amazing," she whispered over to Beca, who was also smiling.

"Yeah, he is," Beca whispered back, the smile on her face growing wider as Henry continued to play the song with passion. The brunette could see herself in her little brother, and his performance reminded her of why she had decided to pursue music in the first place.

Henry's transition from Beethoven's fifth symphony to "Let it Be" was so smooth that it took a few seconds for most of the audience to realize what happened. Chloe noticed the change instantly, however, and her smile grew wider as well. "He picked this song for you, Becs, since you love the Beatles."

Beca didn't say anything in response, instead just nodding her head to acknowledge Chloe. Tears welled up in the brunette's eyes as the performance went on, for this song had a special place in her heart—she had sung this song for her parents before she came out to them. The tears in Beca's eyes eventually began to fall, staining her cheeks in the process.

Chloe glanced over at Beca again and noticed that she was crying, but she didn't ask about it. Instead, the redhead squeezed the brunette's hand a couple times to comfort her, running her thumb over the back of the other girl's hand at the same time.

Beca looked down at their hands and smiled softly before looking over at her parents. She felt tears well up in her eyes again when she saw her parents smiling back at her, and she could've sworn that she saw tears in her mother's eyes as well. After this interaction, Beca looked back to Henry, who was playing the final notes of the song. Once he had finished, he stood up from the bench and bowed while the audience gave him a round of applause. He then turned and left the stage, the audience still applauding him as he did so.

"He's going to win," Chloe stated confidently. "He was the best out of all the contestants. The way he naturally moved with the music was incredible."

Beca nodded her head in agreement with Chloe's words. "Yeah, I think so too. He's a great pianist."

"Hey, are you okay?" Chloe asked a few moments later. "You were crying for most of the song."

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," Beca stuttered, biting her lip and looking down as a blush crept up onto her face.

Chloe raised an eyebrow at Beca's reaction. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. 'Let it Be' just has a special place in my heart, that's all. I sang that song to my parents before I came out to them," Beca explained, looking back up at Chloe as she spoke.

"Oh, okay. When did you come out to them?" Chloe asked curiously.

"I came out to them when I was fifteen. It was one of the scariest things I've ever done, but I'm so glad I did it," Beca said, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"That's amazing, Beca," Chloe stated genuinely. "You know, you're a lot stronger than you think," the redhead added.

"I am?" Beca asked.

"Yes, you are. You're stronger than anyone else I know. I'm nowhere near to being half as strong as you are," Chloe replied.

Beca raised an eyebrow at Chloe's response. "Why do you say that?"

"Well, you've had to deal with a lot more than I have. You've been through some pretty tough times, and yet you persevered through it all. That's one of the many things I admire about you," Chloe answered, blushing a little when she said those last few words.

Beca shook her head. "I still have a long way to go before I'm truly myself again, though. I'm not the person I used to be," she said, sighing softly to herself.

Now it was Chloe's turn to shake her head. "But you're still persevering through it, Becs. So many people would give up if they were in your shoes, but you haven't. That's got to count for something, right?"

"Sure it does, but there are still days when I feel like giving up. In fact, there will always be days when I feel like giving up. The life I chose isn't all private planes and endless fun; people expect so much from me. If I make one mistake, my career could be ruined," Beca stated, sighing again after she finished speaking.

"I didn't say that your life was all private planes and endless fun. I said that you're still going strong despite everything you've been through," Chloe pointed out.

"Well, I don't really feel that way," Beca said with a shrug of the shoulders.

As soon as those words came out of Beca's mouth, the announcer walked over to the microphone with three envelopes in his hand. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have the results! As you all know, the winner of this competition will advance to the regional competition that will be taking place in Boise, Idaho this November. Now, can I get a drumroll please?" After the drumroll, the announcer opened the envelope and cleared his throat before speaking again. "In third place, we have Christopher Wallace!" There was a short round of applause before the next name was read. "In second place, we have Constance Sullivan!" The round of applause was a bit longer this time, but still ended rather quickly as everyone wanted to find out who had won. "And in first place, we have...Henry Mitchell!"

Beca gasped when she heard Henry's name. She then stood up and began cheering wildly once it set in. The rest of her family did the same, and the rest of the audience followed suit. "Way to go, Henry!" The brunette shouted, clapping her hands loudly as her brother came onstage to accept the trophy.

Henry was both shocked and excited; he was smiling from ear to ear when he accepted the trophy. He then took a bow before running offstage to greet his family. "Mom, Dad! I won! I'm going to regionals!" He exclaimed happily.

"Yes, you are! We're so proud of you, Henry," Cala said, opening her arms to give her son a hug when he reached them.

Beca was the next person that Henry hugged. "Good job up there, buddy. You were absolutely incredible."

"Did you like the songs I picked?" Henry asked with a smile.

"No, I didn't like them. I loved them," Beca replied, smiling back at her brother as she spoke. "Chloe and I both knew you were going to win as soon as you started to play," she added.

"Really?" Henry asked, a bit of surprise in his voice.

"Really," Chloe stated. "You're a natural at piano, and you really showed it tonight. You were so awesome up there."

"And I already know you're going to be so awesome at regionals. I can't wait to see your next performance," Beca stated before kissing the top of Henry's head.

"Thanks," Henry said, blushing a little when Beca kissed his head. He then turned to Chloe. "You're gonna come to regionals too, right?"

"Of course I am. I wouldn't miss it for anything in the world," Chloe said before giving Henry a hug.

After the recital, the six of them went back to the Mitchell house after picking up some pizza from Cal's Zone. Beca and Chloe were currently drinking beer on the back deck while watching Hailee and Cala play volleyball against Henry and Jacob. "Thanks for coming to the recital tonight."

"Thanks for having me," Chloe said, smiling as she took a sip from her beer. "So, what's on your agenda for when you get back to LA?"

"Well, I have my weekly appointment with my therapist. I'm also gonna do a radio interview with Ryan Seacrest, so that's cool," Beca replied before taking a sip from her own beer.

"That is cool," Chloe said, taking a bite out of her piece of pizza after she finished speaking. "I'm still looking for a job," the redhead mentioned a few moments later.

"What jobs have you already been looking at?" Beca asked curiously as she took another sip of beer.

"I've looked at some teaching jobs for different schools. While I loved playing piano at restaurants, I feel like I could be doing more," Chloe stated. "I'd also like to sign with a label and maybe go on a tour with my music. I think that traveling around the country to perform would be a lot of fun," she added with a smile.

"That's great, Chloe. You should definitely do that," Beca said, smiling back at the redhead. There was a moment of silence before the brunette spoke again. "You know, I could talk to my boss about signing you to Residual Heat."

Chloe hesitated for a split second. "I don't know, Beca," she started, biting her lip while looking down at her feet. "It's a great offer, but would your boss really sign me? It doesn't seem like he digs classical music."

"He might not be into classical music now, but that doesn't mean he'll never be into it," Beca pointed out. "Besides, you can change his mind about classical music," she added.

"Are you sure I can?" Chloe asked, still biting her lip.

"I'm one hundred percent sure that you can change his mind," Beca stated confidently.

"Okay, I'll consider it. I'd love to compose another album," Chloe said, smiling softly at Beca as she spoke.

Beca smiled at Chloe's words. "Awesome! I'll call my boss later and will let you know what he says."

"Beca, can I ask you something?" Chloe asked, continuing after Beca nodded her head. "What did that night we had together in LA mean to you?"

"It meant the world to me, Chlo," Beca stated genuinely. "What did it mean to you?" The brunette asked, her voice now barely above a whisper.

"It meant the world me too, Becs," Chloe said. "In that moment, I knew we would be together again someday."

Beca smiled at Chloe's words. "We'll be together again someday. I don't know when someday is, but it's gonna happen. I know it will."

Chloe smiled and then took a sip from her beer, sighing with content as she did so. "When are you going back to LA?"

"Tomorrow, actually. When are you going back to New York?" Beca asked curiously.

"I'm also leaving tomorrow. I still have to give my two weeks notice to my bosses," Chloe mentioned. I also need to start applying for apartments and jobs in LA. I mean, I should have some sort of job until my career gets somewhere."

"You can stay with me for as long as you need to. I mean, I know you'll get an apartment at some point, but you're more than welcome at my place until then," Beca replied.

"Thank you, Beca. I'll definitely take you up on that offer. I won't be at your mansion for too long, though. I just need to find a nice place for a reasonable price," Chloe stated.

"I can help you look for an apartment if you want. I'm sure I can pull some strings to get the price down," Beca offered, scratching the back of her head as she spoke.

"Beca, you can't do that. I don't want to get in the way of your busy schedule," Chloe said, furrowing her eyebrows a little.

Beca shook her head. "I'm not that busy. I can always reschedule something if I need to. It's not a big deal, Chlo. It's really not."

"Are you sure?" Chloe asked, biting her lip while furrowing her eyebrows some more.

"Of course I'm sure," Beca insisted. "I want to make sure that my best friend finds a good place to live. I really want you to come to LA, Chloe. As much as I love it there, it's not complete. With you there, it will be."

Chloe realized that Beca wasn't going to back down, so she just smiled and nodded her head. "Okay. Thank you so much, Becs. I really appreciate everything that you're doing for me."

"You know I'd do anything for you in a heartbeat, Beale," Beca said, taking a sip from her beer after she finished speaking.

"And I'd do anything for you in a heartbeat, Mitchell," Chloe replied before taking a sip from her own beer.

Meanwhile in San Francisco, Chicago was taking an ice bath in the stretching room after a hard strength training session. He had been in the bath for about five minutes, so he had ten more to go. The temperature of the water made his teeth chatter, but he had to be healthy for Sunday's away game against the Arizona Cardinals, so he pushed through it.

Once he was done with his ice bath, Chicago got dressed and packed all his equipment up before heading over to the film room. The Cardinals were going to be their toughest opponent yet, as they too were undefeated. Once the film session was over, Chicago headed back to his apartment since the team was off for the rest of the day.

The first thing Chicago did when he got home was check his phone. He saw that there was a voicemail from Stacie, so he pressed the play button to listen to it. "Hey, Chic, it's me. I'm calling because Logan is going on a trip for work next week and I don't really want to be by myself. Would you be willing to let me stay with you? Give me a call when you get this. Bye!" Chicago smiled as he listened to the voicemail, and he pressed the call button as soon as it ended. The phone rang a couple times before Stacie answered. "Hello?"

"Hey, Stacie!" Chicago greeted, a friendly tone in his voice. "Sorry I didn't answer sooner; I just got back to my apartment after a tough training day," he explained with a chuckle. "Anyways, you can stay with me whenever you need to."

"Really? Great! Thanks so much, Chic. I really appreciate it," Stacie stated genuinely. "So, you're playing the Cardinals this weekend?"

"Yeah, we do. It's an away game, but the flight back will only be an hour since Phoenix isn't that far away," Chicago stated. "When are you going to stay with me?" He asked as he walked over to the kitchen to get a glass of chocolate milk for himself.

"I was hoping I could come over once you got back from Phoenix," Stacie answered. "Is that alright with you?"

"Mmhm. I'll sleep in the guest room so you can have my room for the week. And before you try to argue with me, I'm doing this because I want you to feel at home while you're staying with me. You are one of my best friends, after all," Chicago said before taking a sip from his glass of milk.

"Are you sure?" Stacie asked. "I don't want to be putting you out or anything," she added quickly.

"I'm sure. I want you to feel safe and comfortable, since I know how hard living alone can be," Chicago replied.

"I just don't want to be a burden to you, that's all," Stacie said with a shrug of the shoulders.

"Stacie, you could never be a burden to me, and I think you know that," Chicago stated genuinely. "I'll see you on Sunday, okay?"

"See you on Sunday. Thanks again, Chic. This means a lot to me," Stacie said, a genuine tone in her voice as well.

"Don't mention it. You and I will have a lot of fun. By fun, I mean video game tournaments, movie marathons, eating a ton of junk food, and everything in between," Chicago said with a smile.

Stacie giggled at Chicago's words. "That does sound like a lot of fun. I'm definitely looking forward to it now," she said.

"I'll also drive you to medical school on my way to practice, and we'll go to Baker Beach like I promised we would," Chicago added, smiling when Stacie giggled.

"Yay! I've always wanted to go to Baker Beach, but I've been too busy to go," Stacie mentioned.

"Well, I'm glad that I'll be the first person to take you there," Chicago said, blushing a little. "So, I'll come pick you up after I get back on Sunday."

"Sunday it is. I'm really looking forward to our week together, Chic," Stacie replied, starting to blush a little as well.

"Same," Chicago said, unable to keep himself from licking his lips. "I'll see you then, Stace. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Chic," Stacie said, ending the phone call a few moments later.

Back in Seattle, Beca and Chloe were up in the brunette's old room. "When did you realize that you had feelings for me?" Beca asked as they lay on the bed together.

"Well, I've had feelings for you all along. I didn't realize it until I saw you and Allison together, though," Chloe answered, tilting her head back as she looked up at the ceiling.

Beca nodded her head before looking up at the ceiling. "What about me caught your eye? Was it my laugh? My smile? My voice? My badass persona?" She asked.

"What badass persona?" Chloe teased, giggling when Beca turned her head and glared at her. "I'm just kidding, Becs."

"Sure you are," Beca said, still glaring at Chloe even though a smile was tugging at the corner of her mouth. The brunette then looked back up at the ceiling, furrowing her eyebrows a little as she did so. "You know what I just realized?"

"No, I don't. What did you just realize?" Chloe asked.

"We never had sex in my bed. It was just in yours," Beca replied with a chuckle.

"Huh. I guess I just realized that too, then," Chloe said, chuckling along with Beca. "We did have sex on the couch in your studio, though," she pointed out.

"Yeah we did," Beca said, making Chloe chuckle some more by playfully wiggling her eyebrows at her. "I don't know why, but I really wanted to do it with you in here."

"Really? You don't have some sort of reason as to why you wanted to do it with me in here?" Chloe asked, raising an eyebrow at Beca.

"I guess I wanted to do it with you in here because I haven't had sex in here since I lost my virginity to Olivia. I just wanted to erase the bad memories, you know?" Beca said, shrugging her shoulders.

Chloe smiled softly at Beca's words. "I'm sure you'll get to erase your bad memories of Olivia at some point," she stated.

"Yeah, I hope so." After a few moments of silence, Beca spoke again. "Have you ever felt empty?"

Chloe scratched the back of her head as she thought of an answer to Beca's question. "Uh, not really. I mean, I've felt sad, but I don't think I've ever felt 'empty.' Why do you ask?"

"I just feel like I'm always letting someone down or I'm not living up to my potential. I know a lot of people would disagree, but that's just how I feel," Beca said, shrugging her shoulders a second time. "When I saw you for the first time in five years, I felt like I let you down. I let you down more than anyone else. Even when I won two Grammys earlier this year, I didn't feel like I'd accomplished anything."

"You felt like you didn't accomplish anything because you let me down?" Chloe asked, raising both of her eyebrows in confusion.

"Not exactly. It just feels like I everything I do isn't as fulfilling as it should be, if that makes sense." Beca said. "The only things that have brought me happiness in the last three years all involve making things right with you. That and seeing my family. Even writing music is harder than it used to be."

"I thought you said that therapy's been helping you a lot," Chloe mentioned, now even more confused.

"I did say that. Therapy has helped, but it hasn't fixed everything. I wish it did, but it hasn't and it probably won't. I'm not the person I used to be, and I may never be that person again," Beca said, sighing to herself while running her fingers through her hair.

Chloe reached and linked their fingers together, running her thumb along the palm of Beca's hand. "Well, you should know that I'll always love you, no matter who you turn out to be."

"Thanks, Chlo," Beca murmured, a small smile making its way onto her face as she looked down at their hands. "I'll always love you too," she added, squeezing Chloe's hand as they lay there. In that moment, they weren't worried about anything else but each other, for all that mattered was that they were together.

 **Awwww! What a sweet moment between our two leading ladies! We hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter, Beca and Chloe growing closer and closer. Plus, this next week with Stacie staying with Chicago should get interesting.**

 **Sorry it took awhile to update, things have been pretty crazy these last few weeks, but the next chapter probably won't take as long.**

 **Until Next Time**


	10. Chapter 10: Something About You

Chapter 10: Something About You

Chicago made his way off of the plane and into the San Francisco International Airport. It had been another successful day—the Niners had beaten the Cardinals by two touchdowns. Chicago recorded five receptions in the game, one of which was for a touchdown. While on his way to the parking garage, he was stopped for pictures by a couple fans as well as a few Niners' beat reporters.

Elijah and Ross caught up with Chicago just as he reached the parking garage. "So, Rook, what's your plan for the night? Ross and I are celebrating the win by going out for drinks," Elijah mentioned.

"I'm gonna hang out with Stacie tonight. She's gonna be staying with me for this whole week, actually," Chicago replied with a smile.

"Oh, nice. Is she still dating that loser?" Ross asked curiously.

"She's still dating him, but he's not a loser. He's anything but a loser, actually," Chicago stated genuinely.

Ross chuckled at Chicago's words. "Mmhm, sure," he said, chuckling some more after he finished speaking. "Do you think she'll try to make a move?" He asked a few moments later.

Chicago instantly shook his head. "No, she won't. Stacie's not like that. Besides, I'm just some guy she slept with five years ago."

Now it was Ross's turn to shake his head. "That's a lie. How can you be 'just some guy' to her if you're her best friend?" He asked.

"That's what I'm saying—she'll never see me as more than a friend. We had one amazing night together, but that's all it'll ever be," Chicago said sadly. He had gotten to his car by then, so he put his stuff in the trunk before turning back to his teammates. "I'll see you guys on Tuesday, okay?"

"See you on Tuesday, Rook," Elijah said before giving Chicago a friendly pat on the shoulder.

"Let us know if you need anything," Ross added before he and Elijah began to walk towards their respective cars.

Once his teammates were out of sight, Chicago got into his car and turned it on. He then took his phone out from his pocket, putting it back once he had texted Stacie to tell her that he was on his way. As he made his way out of the parking garage and onto the highway, Chicago couldn't help but think about what Elijah and Ross had said. To be honest, he was more worried about himself making a move than Stacie making a move. The young man didn't want to get too distracted while driving, though, so he pushed the thought away.

Chicago arrived at Stacie's apartment complex a half hour later. He parked his car in the parking lot before heading up to his friend's apartment. When he got to her apartment, he stood outside the door for a moment to calm himself before knocking on the door. A huge smile appeared on Chicago's face when Stacie opened the door almost instantly. "Hey. You ready to go?"

"Yeah, I am. Can you help me bring my stuff down?" Stacie asked, a smile on her face as well.

"Yeah, sure," Chicago replied, holding the door for Stacie before going into her apartment to get her extra bags. Once they had all her stuff, they went down the elevator and to Chicago's car. "Did you watch the game today?"

"Are you kidding me? Of course I did, Chic. You were so awesome out there!" Stacie exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Thanks," Chicago said, blushing a little at Stacie's compliment. "I tried extra hard today so I could redeem myself for last week," he added with a chuckle.

Stacie couldn't help but chuckle along with Chicago. "Oh, come on. Your performance against the Rams wasn't that bad."

"It wasn't that good, though. Last week, I had two catches for eight yards total. This week, I got five catches for eighty yards and a touchdown," Chicago pointed out. Once all of Stacie's stuff was in his car, he started the car and then pulled out of the parking lot once they both had their seatbelts on.

"Well, I still think you played fine, even if you don't think so," Stacie said with a shrug of the shoulders as Chicago drove towards his apartment.

"Thanks, Stace. You, Beca, and Chloe have always been my number one fans," Chicago replied. "I don't think I tell you this enough, but your support means everything to me."

"Really?" Stacie asked, smiling and biting her lip a little.

"Yeah, really. You've been there for me since the beginning, and your support has never wavered. So thank you," Chicago said before taking one of Stacie's hands in his. He then squeezed her hand gently before bringing it up and kissing it.

Stacie blushed even harder when Chicago did this. "I'm just doing my job as your friend. It's not that big of a deal," she said, shrugging her shoulders as she spoke.

"It is to me, Stacie. I wouldn't be where I am now if it weren't for you," Chicago stated genuinely, squeezing the brunette's hand once more before turning into the parking garage of his apartment complex.

"I'll always be here for you, Chic, because I know you'll always be there for me. I'm so lucky to have you in my life," Stacie replied, a genuine tone in her voice as well.

Chicago smiled at Stacie's words. "So am I, Stace. So am I." He then pulled into his parking spot and got out of the car after he turned it off. Stacie got out as well, and the two of them grabbed her things from the trunk before starting to walk towards the elevator. "I'm gonna have to give you a tour of my apartment, since this'll be the first time you've visited," Chicago mentioned.

Stacie smiled and nodded her head. "That's right. I can't wait to see it," she stated.

When they made it to his apartment, Chicago set down the stuff he was holding so he could unlock the door. Once he had done that, he opened the door and then picked the stuff back up before walking inside. "Welcome to my humble abode."

Stacie's jaw dropped as soon as she set foot into Chicago's apartment. "You call this a humble abode?" She asked incredulously.

"Yeah, I guess that doesn't really work for this place. It's too big for me, if I'm being honest," Chicago said with a chuckle. "Let's go put your stuff in the room you'll be staying in, and then I'll give you the grand tour."

"Alright, sounds good," Stacie replied, looking around the front room in awe once more before following Chicago to her room.

"You'll be staying in my room, which is the master bedroom. Again, don't try to argue with me, because you're not gonna win," Chicago said, chuckling some more as he led Stacie down the hallway.

Stacie's jaw dropped for the second time that day when she walked into Chicago's bedroom. "Holy shit," she breathed out, her eyes going wide when she saw the view out the window. "This is incredible, Chic. This is absolutely incredible."

"It's a great view to wake up to, that's for sure," Chicago replied with a smile. "You know, there's one thing that would make it even better," he added while biting his lip.

"Oh really? And what's that one thing?" Stacie asked curiously.

Chicago looked down at his feet for a moment. "Uh, getting to wake up next to someone. That's what would make it even better," he answered, cringing a little as he said that.

It took a few seconds for Stacie to register Chicago's words. "Oh," was all she said in reply, for she was unsure of what else to say.

"Yeah," Chicago said, chuckling nervously as he scratched the back of his head. "Come on, I'll show you the rest of the place and then you can start unpacking."

"I can't wait to see the rest of the place," Stacie said with a smile as she followed Chicago out of the room. They went to the dining room and the kitchen before heading out onto the balcony. "Are you serious? You have a hot tub on your balcony?" Stacie asked in disbelief.

"Yes, I am serious and I do have a hot tub on my balcony," Chicago said, chuckling at the look on Stacie's face.

"I'm glad I brought a couple bikinis with me, then," Stacie said before turning away from Chicago so she could look at the view. The next part of the house she saw was the recreation room. There was a pool table and a foosball table on one side of the room and a huge projector on the other. "Wow, Chic. This is awesome."

"It is, isn't it? This room is probably my favorite. Ross, Elijah, and I have video game tournaments in here all the time," Chicago mentioned with a smile.

"You should have them over sometime this week so I can kick their asses," Stacie said, chuckling at her own words for a moment. She then looked around the room again and smiled when she saw some pictures hanging on the wall. A couple of the pictures were of their high school friend group, and the others were of Chicago and his teammates from Georgia. "What was it like to win two national championships with Georgia?" The brunette wondered aloud.

"It was amazing. I don't know how else to describe it. It was just amazing," Chicago answered, the smile on his face growing wider as he recalled the memory.

Stacie walked over to the wall so she could get a closer look at the pictures. "You know, I watched every single one of your games," she stated, turning to see that Chicago was now standing next to her.

"You did?" Chicago asked, a bit of surprise in his voice.

Stacie nodded her head. "Yeah, I did. And if I missed the game, I'd watch it online when I had the time to." The brunette then looked back at the wall of pictures. "You never cease to amaze me with your talent, Chic," she added.

Chicago couldn't help but smile at these words. "Thanks for telling me, Stace. It means a lot to hear you say that."

There was a moment of silence between them before Stacie spoke up. "I'm starving. If you show me to the kitchen, I'll cook something for us," she offered.

"That's nice of you to offer, but you don't have to do that. I'm the host, so I should be the one to make us something," Chicago stated.

Stacie raised an eyebrow at Chicago. "You can cook now?" She asked as they walked into the kitchen.

"Yeah, I can. I mean, I'm not the world's greatest chef, but I can cook some things," Chicago replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"Are you still good at making pancakes?" Stacie asked curiously. "I've been craving breakfast for dinner lately," she explained, leaning against the kitchen counter as she spoke.

Chicago scratched the back of his head. "Uh, I think so. How about you be the judge of that?" He suggested.

"Actually, I have another idea: why don't I make some hash browns and bacon while you make the pancakes? Does that sound good to you?" Stacie asked.

Chicago nodded his head. "That sounds good to me. That sounds great to me, actually."

Stacie smiled and then went over to the fridge to get the bacon and the ingredients for the hash browns. While they were cooking, Stacie noticed that Chicago would occasionally glance at her before turning back to the pancakes. "How's it going over there, Chic?"

"It's going well," Chicago answered as he flipped a pancake. "How's it going for you?" He asked a few moments later.

"It's going well too. My mom taught me how to cook before I moved in with Logan," Stacie mentioned.

"Nice. My parents never taught me how to cook, so most of what I know is from YouTube videos," Chicago said with a chuckle.

"You learn where you can, I guess," Stacie said, walking over to Chicago after putting some bacon in the frying pan. "The blueberry pancakes you made the morning after graduation were absolutely delicious."

"They were pretty good, weren't they?" Chicago said before flipping another pancake.

"I'd say that they were more than pretty good, actually," Stacie replied with a chuckle. She then closed her eyes and smiled softly as she recalled the memory.

 _Stacie woke up to an empty bed._ Chicago must've gotten up earlier _, she thought to herself. The brunette sat up and stretched before getting out of bed and walking towards the door. She then stopped, for she realized that she had no clothes on. Stacie turned around and bent down, grabbing the first thing she saw and putting it on. It wasn't until she was halfway down the stairs that she realized she was wearing Chicago's shirt from the night before._

 _Chicago closed the door of Stacie's fridge and walked back over to the stove, holding a carton of blueberries in one hand. He had gotten up first so he could make breakfast for the two of them. He opened the carton of blueberries and poured some into the batter before stirring it around a little more. Chicago was about to pour the batter into the frying pan when he heard footsteps approaching, so he turned towards the sound. A smile instantly appeared on his face when he saw Stacie, and he smiled even wider when he saw that she was wearing his shirt. "Good morning."_

" _Good morning to you too," Stacie said tiredly as she walked over to Chicago. "What are you making?"_

" _Blueberry pancakes. I hope that's okay with you," Chicago stated, turning away from Stacie to pour the batter in the frying pan. "That's okay with you, right?" He asked._

" _Mmhm. Thank you." Stacie then wrapped her arms around Chicago's waist from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder as well. "You don't mind this, do you?"_

 _Chicago shook his head. "Nope, I don't mind it at all. I will need you to let go of me so I can put the frying pan on the stove, though."_

" _Oh, right," Stacie said, giggling a little as she moved away from Chicago. "Did you sleep well last night?" She asked curiously._

" _Yeah, I did. Did you?" Chicago asked, turning back to Stacie once he had put the frying pan on the stove._

" _Mmhm," Stacie hummed in reply before looking down for a moment. "What happened last night was incredible," she added shyly._

 _Chicago smiled at Stacie's words. "Incredible is an understatement in my opinion. Then again, I'm not really sure if any word can do justice to what happened last night."_

" _Wait, really? It was that good for you?" Stacie asked, a hopeful glint in her eyes._

" _It was that good for me," Chicago replied, still smiling. "Was it that good for you?"_

 _Stacie bit her lip and nodded her head, smiling back at Chicago as she did so. "Yeah, it was. It really was," she stated confidently._

" _Okay, good. I was worried that it wasn't," Chicago said, letting out a sigh of relief before chuckling a little._

 _Stacie giggled along with him before looking down at the shirt she was wearing. "I'm sorry I put this on. It was just sitting there, and-"_

" _You don't need to apologize, Stace. I like seeing you in my clothes. It's nice," Chicago replied, the smile on his face turning into a smirk._

" _You do?" Stacie asked, genuinely surprised by Chicago's words._

" _Uh huh. I mean, how could I not? You look really cute in them," Chicago said, now smirking even more._

" _Th-thank you," Stacie stuttered, looking down again as her face started to heat up._

" _You're welcome." Chicago then turned back to the pancakes, which had just finished cooking. "Can you grab me a couple plates? The pancakes are done," he stated._

" _Of course I can," Stacie said, handing a couple plates to Chicago before grabbing some forks and cups as well. "Thank you for making breakfast, Chic. It looks delicious," the brunette observed while on her way to the dining room._

" _It's my pleasure, Stace," Chicago replied as he brought the plates out to the table. "Can you grab the butter and the syrup too? I forgot to grab them earlier," he added._

 _Stacie didn't say anything in reply; she just ran into the kitchen and grabbed the things Chicago had asked for. "There. Now we're ready to dig in!" She said eagerly as she sat down._

" _You bet we are." Chicago watched Stacie intently as she took a bite from one of her pancakes, as he was eager to know if she liked them or not. "Well? How is it?"_

 _Stacie's face lit up as soon as the bite of pancake hit her tongue. "Chic, these are amazing!"_

" _Really?" Chicago asked, unable to keep himself from smiling widely._

" _Yes, really. They're light and fluffy, which is exactly what a pancake should be," Stacie stated._

" _Alright, cool. I'm glad my pancakes are good enough for you," Chicago replied with a chuckle._

"It was so sweet of you to get up early and make me pancakes," Stacie mentioned while smiling softly at Chicago.

"It was no big deal. I just wanted you to have a nice breakfast, that's all," Chicago explained, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he spoke.

"I still appreciate it, though. It was very kind," Stacie said before putting a hand on Chicago's shoulder. "You were so good to me, even if we were together for just one night," she added.

"It was no big deal," Chicago repeated with a shrug of the shoulders.

"That's not how I feel," Stacie said, turning Chicago's chin towards her with her finger so they were looking into each other's eyes. "That night was one of the best nights of my life. You're right—it was no big deal. It was a huge deal to me, Chic. That night was a huge deal," she stated genuinely.

Chicago couldn't help but smile softly at Stacie's words. "That night was a huge deal to me too, Stace," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

Stacie smiled and presses a kiss to Chicago's cheek before going back to the hash browns and bacon. After dinner, they decided to hang out in the hot tub for awhile. Stacie changed into a bright yellow bikini that had purple flowers on it. She then put her hair up in a messy bun before she went and joined Chicago in the hot tub. "Wow. I think this view might be even better at night than it is during the day."

"Yeah, it's a pretty good view alright," Chicago stated, smiling as he leaned back against the wall of the hot tub. He then took a sip of his beer, unable to keep himself from looking Stacie up and down as he did so.

"You must do this a lot. I would if I were you," Stacie stated, a smile now on her face as well.

"I don't do this very often, actually," Chicago mentioned while scratching the back of his head.

Stacie raised an eyebrow at Chicago's words. "Really? Why not?" She asked before taking a sip from her own beer. "This is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

Chicago scratched the back of his head again and then shrugged his shoulders. "I don't really know. I should do this more, since the view is so good." There was a moment of silence before Chicago spoke again. "You know, I can think of something that's more beautiful than this," he mentioned.

Stacie turned her head towards Chicago when he said this. "And what's that?" She asked curiously.

"Well, it's not a something. It's a someone," Chicago started. He then paused for a moment, biting his lip as he did so. "That someone is you, Stace. It's you."

"Oh," Stacie said, mentally facepalming herself because she should've seen that coming. "If you weren't into me in high school, then why are you into me now?"

"I was into you in high school, Stacie," Chicago replied, unable to hide the hurt in his voice. "I was into you in high school. It just took me awhile to realize it, that's all."

"Really? It didn't seem like it. You were into that Julia girl from freshman to junior year, and you were into Chloe for the majority of senior year," Stacie pointed out while raising an eyebrow at Chicago. "So, when were you into me before now?" She added a few moments later.

Chicago just looked at Stacie, as he was at a loss for words at the moment. "Stacie, I-" he finally started, only to be interrupted before he could finish that sentence.

"Is it because I'm finally taken? Do you suddenly want me now that you can't have me?" Stacie asked, hurt in her voice as well.

"Of course not, Sta-"

"Then what is it, Chic? What made you realize these feelings?" Stacie demanded.

"I-I don't know," Chicago stuttered, holding his hands up in defense.

Stacie looked down for a moment and took a deep breath before looking back up at Chicago. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to attack you like that. I'm just confused," she explained.

"Don't be sorry. I totally understand," Chicago said in a gentle voice. "I guess I haven't been able to get our night together out of my head. Everything about it was perfect to me: the sex, the way you looked at me, and how you fell asleep in my arms. It was perfect."

Stacie couldn't help but blush at Chicago's words. "I feel the same way, Chic. That night was perfect," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I haven't been able to get that night out of my head for five years, Stace. You can't tell me that you haven't thought of it either. You must have," Chicago stated as he leaned back against the wall of the hot tub.

Stacie bit her lip and looked down. The brunette then started to shake her head. "No, I can't tell you that I haven't thought of it."

"Does Logan know about what happened between us?" Chicago asked curiously.

Stacie continued to shake her head. "No, he doesn't."

This made Chicago furrow his eyebrows. "He doesn't?"

"No, he doesn't," Stacie repeated. "He's never asked if you and I were a thing, so I haven't mentioned it to him," she explained.

"Ah, so that's why he's okay with you staying over here," Chicago said. He then moved closer to Stacie in an attempt to get her to look at him. "That's why, isn't it?"

"Yeah, that's why." Stacie took a deep breath and then looked up, seeing that Chicago was already looking at her when she did so. "You're not mad at me, right?" She asked quietly.

"No, I'm not," Chicago replied in a calm voice. He then paused to take a deep breath before he spoke again. "I wish I could've been there for you when your parents split up. If I was, maybe things would be different. If I was, maybe you would be mine."

Later that night, Chicago was having a hard time falling asleep as he lay on the bed in the guest room. _Come on, dude. Why is this so hard for you? Stacie's probably asleep by now, so you should be too_ , he told himself.

Contrary to Chicago's belief, Stacie wasn't having much luck when it came to falling asleep either. Part of it was because the room was a bit chilly, but it was mostly because she couldn't stop thinking about what Chicago had said earlier. _I wish I could've been there for you when your parents split up...If I was, maybe you would be mine._ The brunette was unable to fall asleep no matter what she did, so she just tossed and turned in the meantime.

Eventually, Chicago decided to see if fresh air would help. He got out of bed and went out onto the balcony, leaning against the railing as he looked out at the night sky. He sighed softly and ran his hands down his face as the cool air hit his skin.

After a while, Stacie decided to do the same as Chicago. She got out of bed and walked out onto the balcony, smiling softly when she saw Chicago was already out there. "Couldn't sleep?" The brunette asked.

Chicago was a bit startled when he heard Stacie's voice behind him, but he quickly recovered. "Uh, yeah. How about you?"

"Same here," Stacie replied. She then looked down for a moment, biting her lip as she did so. "What kept you up?"

"I've just got a lot on my mind, that's all," Chicago answered while running his fingers through his hair.

"Me too," Stacie said with a soft sigh. "Hey, remember when you and I would dance to slow songs whenever I couldn't sleep after Luke and I broke up? Maybe that could help us now," she mentioned.

"Maybe that could help," Chicago thought aloud while scratching the back of his head.

Stacie grabbed Chicago's phone out of his pocket and then went to his music. She scrolled through his music until she found "Many the Miles," one of her favorite Trio songs. Once the song was playing, the brunette wrapped her arms around Chicago's shoulders and started to sway back and forth. "Don't you love this song?"

"Mmhm. It's a good one, that's for sure," Chicago said, his hands resting on Stacie's hips as they swayed to the song.

"This is one of my favorite songs by Trio. It actually might be my favorite, now that I think about it," Stacie mentioned with a smile.

"Ah, so that's why you picked it." A smile made its way onto Chicago's face as well while they continued to dance. He knew this wasn't a great idea but didn't want their moment to end, so he didn't say anything about it. Instead, Chicago leaned his forehead against Stacie's and then wrapped his arms around her waist, still swaying to the music as he did so. However, the two of them eventually pulled away as the song came to a close. Chicago felt an urge to kiss Stacie right then and there, but he knew he couldn't. If he made a move, everything would become a hundred times more complicated than it already was.

"Thank you for dancing with me," Stacie whispered, gazing into Chicago's eyes as she spoke.

Chicago shook his head. "You don't have to thank me," he whispered back.

"I don't have to, but I want to, so thank you," Stacie stated, still gazing into Chicago's eyes. She too was feeling an urge, but she didn't act on it because that would jeopardize her relationship with Logan. "I should go back to bed now," she murmured before stepping away from Chicago.

"Yeah, you should," Chicago said, looking down and shuffling his feet awkwardly when Stacie started to walk away from him. "Hey, Stacie?"

"Yeah?" Stacie asked while turning around to face Chicago.

"I, uh, I hope you sleep well. Goodnight," Chicago replied, shuffling his feet some more as he spoke.

A small smile made its way onto Stacie's face while Chicago said this. "Thank you, Chic. I hope you sleep well too. Goodnight."

Meanwhile in LA, Beca was heading down to her studio when her phone started to ring. She smiled when she saw that Chloe was calling. "It's awfully late where you are, miss," the brunette stated after she pressed the answer button.

"It is awfully late where I am," Chloe replied with a chuckle. "But it's also pretty late where you are," she pointed out a few moments later.

"That is true, but it's still later where you are. So, to what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call?" Beca asked, unable to keep a smile off of her face.

"I just wanted to let you know that I've finally finished packing up my stuff!" Chloe exclaimed excitedly.

"Really? That's awesome!" Beca replied, excitement in her voice as well. "So, when are you coming out here?"

"Next week," Chloe answered, smiling from ear to ear at the thought. "So, how's your songwriting going?"

"It's going pretty well. I'm gonna try to start a new song today, since I finished one a few days ago," Beca mentioned.

"I can't wait to hear your songs, and I can't wait to sign with your label," Chloe said, still smiling widely.

"I can't wait for those things either, Chlo," Beca stated genuinely. "I should probably let you go now. You must be tired after all that packing," the brunette added after a moment of silence.

"I am pretty tired," Chloe said, chuckling a little and then letting out a quiet yawn. "Goodnight, Becs."

"Goodnight, Chlo. Sweet dreams," Beca replied before she too let out a yawn.

"Sweet dreams," Chloe repeated, yawning again after she finished speaking. "I'll see you soon," the redhead added a few moments later.

Beca smiled softly at Chloe's words. "Yeah, see you soon. I can't wait."

 **We know this chapter was mostly Chicago and Stacie but there is more** **bechloe to come!**

 **Until next time!**


	11. Chapter 11: Things Change

**Hey my readers! Sorry it took so long for this but here is the next chapter of Two Hearts! My co-writer and I got caught up in life but we will try to upload more often!**

 **Let us know what you think,**

 **Youngstoryteller.007**

Chapter 11: Things Change

Beca was currently carrying one of Chloe's boxes into the guest bedroom that she'd be staying in for the next couple of weeks. "Where do you want this box to go, Chlo?"

"What's in it?" Chloe asked as she too carried a box into the guest bedroom.

"Pictures, I think," Beca answered while setting the box down on the bedside table.

"You can just leave the box there for now. I'll figure out what to do with it later," Chloe stated.

Beca nodded and then went to get another box. "How was your flight?" The brunette asked as she walked back into the room.

"It was great. I can definitely get used to flying first class," Chloe replied with a chuckle.

"I bet you could, which is why I'll upgrade you to first class whenever you want. Just say the word and it's done," Beca said, a smile spreading across her face as she spoke.

Chloe shook her head and then sat down on her bed. "You don't have to do that, Beca. I'd like to be able to afford this stuff on my own someday, you know?"

Beca sat down beside Chloe. "I know. I just thought I'd put that offer out there," she explained.

"And I appreciate that offer, Becs. I just don't know how I'm ever going to repay you for all you've done for me," Chloe said while biting her lip.

"You don't have to repay me, Chlo. I'm just doing what's right," Beca stated.

Chloe smiled at Beca's words. "You know, I could just kiss you right now," the redhead mentioned.

Beca instantly furrowed her eyebrows. "Wait, what?" The brunette asked, unsure if she had heard Chloe correctly.

"I'm not going to, of course, but I just want you to know how much everything you've done means to me," Chloe clarified, still smiling as she said that.

"Oh, okay," Beca said, chuckling a little after letting out a sigh of relief.

With that, the two women got back to work. Once they had finished unpacking, Chloe went for a run to get rid of the jet lag from her flight. _I can't believe it. I'm finally here_ , the redead thought to herself as she ran.

Back at the house, Beca was to help Amy with dinner. "Alright, Amy, what are we making tonight?" The brunette asked as she walked into the kitchen.

"I was going to let you decide that, actually," Amy replied before going over to the sink to wash her hands.

"Uh, okay. Hmm," Beca hummed, trying to come up with something on the spot. "Let's go with homemade pizzas. We've got to make sure that Chloe's first night here is special."

Amy nodded her head in agreement, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth as she did so. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll make Chloe's first night in LA one to remember."

Beca rolled her eyes at Amy's comment. "Would you give that up already? Chloe and I are friends right now. Nothing more and nothing less," she stated firmly.

"Whatever you say. I'm just calling it how I see it," Amy said, shrugging her shoulders.

"How do you see it?" Beca asked curiously.

"Well, the way I see it is that you two are head over heels for each other but too scared to bang it out and get together." Amy stated bluntly.

"We know how we feel about each oth-" Beca started before Amy interrupted her.

"Then why aren't you two together yet?" Amy demanded.

"Chloe and I are going through some big changes right now. I'm still dealing with my depression, and she just moved here. Plus, we agreed to wait until we're both ready for that kind of commitment," Beca answered in a surprisingly calm voice.

Amy scratched the back of her head before shrugging her shoulders again. "Very well, then. Just know that I won't be surprised if something sexual happens between you two after what happened last time," she said.

Beca scoffed a laugh. "Nothing's gonna happen, okay? We're just friends."

Chloe got back to the house about twenty minutes later. When she did, she took a quick shower before changing into some jeans and a tank top. The redhead then went downstairs to help Amy and Beca with dinner, putting her hair up in a messy bun as she did so. "Hey guys! What's for dinner?"

Beca jumped at the sound of Chloe's voice, for she hadn't heard the redhead get home. "Oh, it's you," the brunette remarked, letting out a sigh of relief before chuckling a little. Beca's little jump made Amy smirk before she went back to chopping some veggies.

"Who else would it be?" Chloe asked with a giggle as she sat down in one of the stools by the counter.

"Good point," Beca replied, chuckling along with Chloe for a few moments before speaking again. "We're having homemade pizza. Does that sound good to you?"

"That sounds great! I haven't had pizza in so long," Chloe said enthusiastically.

Beca smiled at Chloe's enthusiasm. "That's good to know, because we wanted to make sure that your first night as an LA resident was special."

Amy smirked at the way Beca and Chloe were looking at each other. "Hey, Chloe, why don't you chop up some green onions for the pizza?" She suggested.

"Alright," Chloe said, smiling back at Beca as she walked over to the sink to wash her hands.

"What do you want me to do, Amy?" Beca asked, still smiling at Chloe.

The smirk on Amy's face grew as she thought of an answer to Beca's question. "I'd like you to work on the pizza dough since you're really good at kneading things."

Beca looked down so Chloe didn't see how much she was blushing. "Okay. If you say so," she mumbled before going over to the fridge.

Later that night, Amy went up to bed early so Beca and Chloe decided to stay up. The two of them were currently on the balcony having a glass of wine while admiring the night sky. Both women were silent, as neither one knew how to start a conversation. "So, what do you want to talk about?" Chloe asked to end the silence.

Beca shrugged her shoulders and took a sip from her glass of wine. "I don't know. What do you want to talk about?" The brunette asked.

"I don't know either." Chloe spoke again after another moment of silence. "Chicago told me that you're gonna sing the National Anthem at his next home game. That's really cool."

"Mmhm. I'm looking forward to it," Beca said before taking another sip of wine.

"How's therapy?" Chloe asked, biting her lip as she awaited Beca's response.

Beca hesitated for a brief moment and then answered Chloe's question. "It's, uh, it's good. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I care about you. I care about you, and I want to make sure that everything's alright," Chloe explained.

Beca began to nod her head slowly. "I'm glad you're here, Chlo. I really am," the brunette said quietly.

Chloe blushed at these words. "Believe me, Becs, so am I," the redhead stated confidently.

"You know, I've missed you a lot. Not seeing you for so long was really hard," Beca mentioned with a soft smile.

"It's been hard for me too, Beca. You have no idea how much I've missed you these last few years, and you have no idea how happy I am now that we're back on good terms," Chloe stated genuinely before taking a sip from her own glass of wine.

Beca nodded her head in agreement and then looked down at her wine glass, which was now empty. "I'm gonna go refill my glass. Wanna come with?" The brunette asked.

"Yeah, I'll come with." Chloe got up and followed Beca inside, setting her glass on the counter once they got into the kitchen. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course you can," Beca replied as she reopened the bottle of wine.

"Do you ever wonder what it would be like if we didn't break up?" Chloe asked nervously. "Do you ever wonder about that?"

Beca slowly set the bottle of wine down on the table as Chloe spoke. "Yeah, I do wonder about that. I wonder about that a lot, actually," she said after a few moments of silence.

"Did you ever hate me for making the decision I did?" Chloe asked, feeling a lump grow in her throat when she recalled the day they broke up.

"Well, I do hate the decision you made. I don't hate you for making that decision, though. You were just doing what you thought was right, and I understand that," Beca stated genuinely.

"I wish I never made that decision in the first place. I was miserable because of it for so long," Chloe admitted, tucking some hair out of her face. "I can't help but blame myself for our breakup. You were so good to me, Beca, and I ended our relationship before it could become what it was supposed to be," she added.

Beca raised an eyebrow at Chloe's last few words. "And what was it supposed to be?" She asked curiously.

"Something that lasted forever, not just four months," Chloe answered, sniffling a little while fighting back tears. "I know we agreed to give us another shot once we're ready, but I can't help but wish I'd never broken up with you. You were the best thing that's ever been mine, and I screwed it up."

"You didn't screw it up, Chl-" Beca started before Chloe interrupted her.

Chloe shook her head, a single tear falling down her face as she did so. "Yes I did, Beca. I was the one who suggested we take a break. I was the one who said long distance was too hard," the redhead insisted.

"But I screwed up too, Chlo, remember?" Beca said as she wiped the tear off of Chloe's face.

"That may be, but I screwed up first. You didn't screw up until after we broke up," Chloe said, more tears threatening to fall now.

"Please don't cry, Chlo. This isn't all your fault. Please don't cry," Beca murmured in a gentle voice. "This isn't all your fault," the brunette repeated.

"Name one reason besides me for our breakup, then," Chloe demanded while crossing her arms.

"Well, there was the distance. That was the main reason we broke up," Beca pointed out. "Also, your parents thought it would be best if we broke up," she added.

"But I didn't have to listen to them. I was eighteen at the time, so I technically didn't have to do what they thought was best," Chloe pointed out. "I went through with their suggestion because I was scared of the distance. Now I know that I should've been more scared of letting you go," she added solemnly.

Beca closed her eyes and let out a sigh of frustration. "I don't know what else to say, Chlo. I mean, you're gonna find a way to blame yourself no matter what."

"I'm blaming myself because it was my fault, Beca!" Chloe snapped. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell like that," the redhead murmured after a moment of silence. "I'm gonna go to bed now. Goodnight, Beca."

"Goodnight, Chlo," Beca murmured, running her fingers through her hair and sighing again as Chloe started to walk away.

Chloe headed for the bathroom as soon as she got to her room so she could get ready for bed. As she did her nightly routine, the redhead tried to think about anything but her complicated relationship with Beca. It didn't work, though, as she couldn't stop thinking of the brunette no matter what she did.

Chloe was almost done getting ready for bed when there was a knock at the bathroom door. She was about to answer it when Beca poked her head in. "Hey, uh, I just wanted to say goodnight again."

This caused Chloe to giggle a little. "Okay. Goodnight," she said, smiling softly for a moment and then going back to a neutral face.

"I hope you sleep well. If you need anything, my room is down the hall. Goodnight," Beca replied, smiling back at Chloe before turning away and closing the door behind her.

Suddenly, Chloe felt a strong urge to call Beca back. Her impulses eventually got the better of her, as she flung the bathroom door wide open. "Beca, wait!"

Beca turned around as soon as she heard her name. "What is it, Chlo?" She asked, walking back to the bathroom door.

"I, uh, I…" Chloe trailed off as she tried to find the right words to say.

Beca raised an eyebrow at this. "You what?" She asked.

"I just-" Chloe then interrupted herself by cupping Beca's cheeks and leaning in, pressing a soft kiss to the other woman's lips.

Chloe's sudden move took Beca by surprise to say the least. "W-what was that for?" The brunette stuttered when their lips parted a few moments later.

"I-I'm sorry. It must've been the alcohol. I wasn't thinking straight," Chloe explained, beginning to turn around. "I'm sorry," she repeated.

Beca grabbed Chloe's arm and turned her back around. "Don't be sorry," she whispered, her gaze flickering back and forth between Chloe's eyes and lips.

"What do you mean by that?" Chloe asked, confused even more by the way Beca was reacting to the kiss.

"I mean that you shouldn't be sorry for kissing me because I liked it," Beca stated abruptly, placing her free hand on Chloe's hip.

The redhead shivered a little at the feeling of Beca's slightly cold hand on her warm skin. "And?" She said, realizing how close Beca was.

"And I want you to do it again," Beca finished, gazing directly into Chloe's eyes as she said that.

Even though she knew better, Chloe granted Beca her request. The two of them were soon kissing again, stumbling back into the guest bathroom as they did so. Both women were running their hands along each other's bodies, getting lost in one another as the kissing continued.

"You're so hot," Beca mumbled against Chloe's lips. The brunette then moved her lips to the redhead's neck, nibbling at her earlobe with her teeth as well.

Chloe let out a gentle moan when Beca found her most sensitive spot. Beca had her pinned between the wall and the counter so that the gap between their bodies was nonexistent. "Fuck, Beca," the redhead muttered, wrapping one leg around the brunette's waist.

"You want me to do that?" Beca asked playfully while starting to grind their hips together a little.

Beca's words ignited a spark of arousal in Chloe's body that went straight to her core, and she weakly nodded her head while letting out another moan. "Mhmm," she hummed, knowing this was so wrong despite the fact that it felt so right.

"Say it, Chlo. Tell me what you want me to do," Beca demanded in a firm voice. "Come on, Chlo. Say it."

"I want you to do me, Beca," Chloe begged while throwing her head back in pleasure. "Do me hard."

Beca smirked at Chloe's response. "Here or in bed?"

"In bed," Chloe whispered, wanting to feel Beca's body on top of her.

"Your wish is my command, love," Beca whispered back before wrapping Chloe's other leg around her waist and carrying her out of the bathroom. The brunette laid the redhead down on the bed in Chloe's guest room and started to kiss her neck again soon after.

Chloe was beginning to have second thoughts at this point. Not about Beca, but about what she and Beca were doing. Chloe knew that they shouldn't be doing what they were, but she didn't want to stop either. "Mmm. Fuck, Beca."

"I love you so much, Chlo. I love you so much," Beca murmured absentmindedly as she peppered Chloe's skin with kisses and began unbuttoning Chloe's shirt.

That was when Chloe knew she had to stop things. The redhead spoke up as soon as she felt Beca's hand slip into her shorts. "Wait, Beca. Stop." She grabbed the brunette's hand and moved it away from her core. "We can't do this."

"What? Why not?" Beca asked, a confused look on her face.

"Beca, we're completely forgetting about the promise we made to each other the last time I was in LA. We can't do this, even if we really want to," Chloe stated, her chest heaving as she tried to calm herself down.

Beca was even more confused now. "Then why did you kiss me?"

"I-I don't know. I was caught up in the moment. I don't know what came over me," Chloe replied as she buttoned up her pajama shirt awkwardly.

Beca sighed before standing up and walking towards the door. "Goodnight, I guess," she mumbled irritably, not even giving Chloe a chance to speak before she left the room.

As soon as Beca was out of earshot, Chloe let out a loud groan. She then lay down on her stomach and put her face in her pillow to muffle the loud scream she let out next. _Nice job, Chloe_ , she thought to herself. _You lead Beca on. Real smooth, dumbass_.

Beca flopped down on her bed as soon as she got into her own room. "Talk about mixed signals," she thought aloud, closing her eyes and sighing again as she did so.

Back in San Francisco, Chicago and Stacie were deeply involved in a FIFA tournament. It was Stacie's last night at Chicago's place, so they were making the most of it. They were halfway through a game when Chicago's phone started to ring, so he paused it and then answered the call. "Hey, Beca! What's up?" He asked with a smile.

"Oh, not much, just being given mixed signals for no reason whatsoever," Beca grumbled in reply.

"What?" Chicago asked, scratching the back of his head as he tried to figure out what Beca meant. Then, realization suddenly dawned on him. "Did something happen between you and Chloe?"

Beca sighed at Chicago's question. "Something almost happened between us, but she changed her mind at the last second," she answered.

Chicago leaned back against the couch, nodding his head as he did so. "So, what almost happened?"

"We were...We were kissing, and things escalated pretty fast. We were about to, you know, when she suddenly told me to stop," Beca explained with a cringe.

Beca's words made Chicago furrow his eyebrows. "Huh. Well, did she at least tell you why?"

"She said we were breaking a promise we had made to each other. I just don't get why she would initiate it in the first place if she didn't want to break the promise," Beca replied, scratching the back of her head as she spoke.

"Why don't you ask her about it in the morning? She probably just needs some time to think about it," Chicago said in an attempt to reassure Beca.

Beca nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah, you're right. I'm just confused, that's all. She seemed really into it and then wasn't into it all of a sudden."

"Just ask her in the morning. I'm sure she'll be willing to talk about it then." Chicago spoke again after a moment of silence. "I should go now. Stace and I are in the middle of a FIFA tournament. Right now we're playing in the Concacaf Gold Cup Quarterfinal."

"I have no idea what that means, but okay," Beca replied with a chuckle. "Have fun, Chic. I'll talk to you later."

Once his conversation with Beca was over, Chicago put his phone down and pressed the resume button on the controller. Stacie had heard parts of the conversation, so she decided to ask about it. "What happened between Beca and Chloe?" Chicago didn't hear her at first, though. "What happened between Beca and Chloe?" Stacie repeated.

"Oh, uh, Beca said that she and Chloe almost hooked up but Chloe stopped things before they went all the way," Chicago answered with a shrug of the shoulders.

Stacie nodded her head before they went back to their FIFA game. About ten minutes later, Stacie spoke up. "Chic, since it's my last night here, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"And what's that something?" Chicago asked curiously.

"Did you have fun with me this week?" Stacie asked, a hint of sadness in her voice.

Chicago couldn't help but frown a little. "Of course I had fun with you this week, Stace. How could I not?"

"I guess I just wanted to be sure," Stacie explained while biting her lip and looking down. "I know me being with Logan has been hard for you, so I wasn't sure if me staying here would make it better or worse," she added.

"Having you here hasn't made it worse at all, Stacie, and that's a fact," Chicago stated confidently.

Stacie finally spoke after a long moment of silence. "Chicago?"

"Yeah?"

"You know, about me and Logan?" "How do you have such a positive attitude?" Stacie asked, looking directly at Chicago as she spoke.

"When you love someone, you want them to be happy. It's as simple as that," Chicago replied while smiling softly.

Stacie looked down again after Chicago finished speaking. "Yeah, I guess so," she murmured to herself.

"Hey, don't feel bad. That's the last thing I want you to do on our last night together," Chicago said before taking Stacie's hand in his own. "I'm so happy that you've found someone who makes you happy. That's all I want for you," he stated genuinely.

"I know I shouldn't feel bad, but I can't help it," Stacie replied, still looking down even though Chicago was holding her hand now.

"Why do you feel bad? Life happens, and you gotta roll with the punches," Chicago said, bringing Stacie into a gentle hug.

Stacie sighed softly and leaned back into Chicago's embrace, closing her eyes as she did so. "You're amazing, Chic. You're so amazing," she whispered.

"I mean, I wouldn't say I'm amazing," Chicago chuckled as he held Stacie in his strong arms.

"Why not?" Stacie asked while furrowing her eyebrows.

Chicago chuckled again. "I don't know. I've just never seen myself as amazing. What makes you think I am?" He asked.

Stacie was almost frowning now. "How could I not think you're an amazing person, Chic? You've done so much for me, and I'll never be able to repay you."

Chicago then pulled back from the hug, shaking his head as he did so. "I've done no more than you've done for me, Stace. Sure, I'd do anything for you in a heartbeat, but that doesn't mean I'm amazing. Hearing you say that I'm amazing is enough to lift my spirit for days, though."

There was a short silence before Stacie responded. "Well, I'm still gonna think you're amazing even though you don't think so," she stated confidently.

"Thanks. I think you're amazing too. You're more incredible than anyone I've ever met," Chicago replied, smiling back at Stacie. "Logan is a very lucky guy. I hope he knows it," he added.

Stacie couldn't help but blush a little. "I'm sure he does," she murmured back, smiling to herself as well.

"He's stupid if he doesn't know," Chicago said, setting his controller down before leaning back against the couch. He closed his eyes for a moment, opening his eyes to see Stacie on his lap and straddling him. "What are yo-"

"Shhh," Stacie interrupted, putting a finger to Chicago's lips as she did so.

Chicago looked up at her, his eyes widening when he realized how close she was to him. "Really, Stacie, what are you doing? What about Loga-"

"Shhh," Stacie repeated, now using her finger to lift Chicago's chin up so they were making eye contact.

Chicago was having trouble fathoming everything that was going on. The girl he was in love with was sitting on his lap, their bodies only centimeters apart. "Stace," he whispered. "Please, just tell me what you're doing."

"What do you think I'm doing?" Stacie asked with a small smirk on her face. She then leaned in, their lips closer than ever.

Chicago's breath hitched as his gaze briefly dropped down to Stacie's lips. "Are you sure you want-"

"I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't want it," Stacie stated firmly. "The real question is, do you want this?"

"Of course I want this. I've wanted this for the last five years," Chicago answered, gazing into Stacie's eyes as he spoke.

Stacie gazed back into Chicago's eyes. "I've wanted this for a long time too," she admitted quietly.

Those words gave Chicago the confidence to lean in and press his lips to Stacie's. His heart nearly burst out of his chest when their lips touched, and a huge smile made its way onto his face. "Mmm. I've missed this," he hummed.

"You're a better kisser than I remember," Stacie mumbled once their lips had parted. Chicago had been the main object of her affection ever since their senior year of high school. Even though this was wrong on so many levels, it felt so good to be kissing him again.

"So are you, Stace. So are you," Chicago mumbled back before reconnecting their lips in a kiss that was more passionate than the previous one.

It was almost as if no time had passed since their night together. Stacie ran her fingers through Chicago's hair and then tugged at the ends of it, causing him to let out a groan of pleasure. Their lips were still pressed together, and their hands were starting to roam each other's bodies. Stacie only pulled away from the kiss when she ran out of breath, saying something that Chicago hadn't heard her say in five years. "I love you, Chic."

"I love you too, Stace," Chicago said, not hesitating to return the favor. He then leaned in slowly but stopped before their lips met yet again. "You're sure you want this?" Chicago asked.

"I haven't been so sure about something in awhile." After she finished speaking, Stacie closed the gap between them and kissed Chicago rather roughly. "Are you sure you want this?"

Chicago nodded his head. "I haven't been so sure about something in awhile either," he murmured against Stacie's lips.

Stacie smirked and then pulled away to lift her shirt over her head. "Take me to bed or lose me forever," she whispered to Chicago.

These words took Chicago by surprise. "W-what?" He stuttered.

"It's a line from Top Gun," Stacie explained with a giggle before giving Chicago a gentle peck on the lips. She then stood up and reached for his hand. "Will you, though?" She asked.

Chicago responded by standing up and taking Stacie's hand, pulling her into a short but sweet kiss as well. "You don't need to ask twice."

Stacie couldn't help but smile and bite her lip at Chicago. "Take me. I'm yours," she whispered, nibbling on his earlobe a little bit afterwards.

Chicago also couldn't help but smile as he lead Stacie out of the living room and towards his bedroom. Part of him couldn't believe that this was really happening, but all the young man could focus on was being there in that moment with Stacie.


	12. Chapter 12: True Feelings

Chapter 12: True Feelings

Chicago awoke to sunlight streaming into his apartment through the windows. The sun was shining bright as it rose over the many skyscrapers in downtown San Francisco. For the first time in a long time, he hadn't slept alone in his bed. Chicago rubbed his eyes before turning over to admire Stacie, who was still fast asleep and very much naked. Seeing Stacie brought a smile to his face, for it reminded him of last night. He still couldn't believe what had happened last night, but he definitely wasn't complaining about it. _Last night was perfect. Absolutely perfect_ , Chicago thought to himself while sighing happily.

The young man turned back over to look at the clock on his bedside table, sighing happily again when he saw that it was only 7:20 in the morning. He then turned back to Stacie, smiling as her chest rose up and down at a steady pace. "You're so beautiful," he muttered before pressing a soft kiss to her temple.

Stacie then began to stir, her eyes slowly fluttering open. "Good morning, Chic," she murmured, smiling when she saw that Chicago was already awake and gazing at her.

Chicago leaned forward and gave Stacie a peck on the lips. "Good morning, Stace. How did you sleep?"

"Great. Your bed is comfy, and having your arms around me was nice," Stacie said, lingering on Chicago's lips for an extra moment or two. "But this can't happen again," she quickly added.

Chicago bit his lip and looked down when Stacie said that. "I know," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Chic." Stacie lifted his chin up so they were looking into each other's eyes. "I love you."

Chicago shook his head, turning away from Stacie at the same time. "Don't say that," he stated firmly.

"But I do," Stacie replied, trying and failing to get Chicago to look at her.

"If you love me, then why didn't you wait for me? If you love me, then why can't we be together?" Chicago demanded.

"Well, I have Lo-" Stacie started before Chicago interrupted her.

"I know you have Logan. But if you really loved him, we wouldn't have slept together last night," Chicago said, sitting up in his bed. "If you really loved him, you wouldn't have cheated on him with me."

Stacie frowned at Chicago's words. "So this is all my fault? Is that what you're saying?" She asked.

"No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that we should be together," Chicago clarified. "What's keeping you from leaving him? Do you love him more than me?"

"I can't just leave him after everything we've been through, Chicago. We've been together for a long time, and he makes me really happy," Stacie answered honestly.

Chicago noticed that Stacie hadn't answered his question, so he decided to repeat himself. "Do you love him more than me?" He asked.

"Why does it matter? I'm dating him, not you," Stacie suddenly snapped. "You're just a one-night stand. He's my boyfriend."

Chicago's heart broke as soon as those words left Stacie's mouth. "I'm just a one-night stand to you. Got it," he mumbled before getting up and walking over to the window. "You know, it would've hurt less if you just said that you love him more than me," he mentioned sadly.

"Sometimes the truth hurts, Chicago. Besides, we've only hooked up twice now. How much can I really mean to you?" Stacie said as she got out of bed and gathered up her clothes.

"Dammit, Stacie! I've been in love with you for the last five years!" Chicago shouted. "I kept the promise I made to you that night because I love you," he stated genuinely while taking her hands in his own. "You mean the world to me, Stace. I wouldn't have kept my promise if that wasn't the case."

Stacie pulled her hands away from Chicago's, turning away from him as well. "I should go. Logan's getting back in a couple hours," she murmured.

As much as Chicago wanted to stop her from leaving, he knew that would only make things worse. "Okay," he said, trying to maintain his composure. "Do you need a ride to your apartment?"

Stacie shook her head. "I can call an Uber. Thanks for the offer, though," she replied.

Stacie left Chicago's apartment about an hour later. Stacie had declined his offer to help with her stuff, so Chicago watched from the window as the Uber drove her away. He felt as if the world was crashing down around him, but he couldn't stay in his feelings for long because he had practice soon.

As Stacie sat in the back of the Uber, all she could think about was what she had done last night. Waves of guilt wouldn't stop crashing over her, and she was starting to get a headache from it. Most of the guilt was from her cheating on Logan, but she also felt bad for hurting Chicago and possibly breaking his heart.

Down in LA, Beca was already awake. This wasn't surprising given the fact that she and Amy were having a party to celebrate Trio's success at their house tonight. Beca wasn't really in the mood for a party but it was too late to back out, so she thought she might as well embrace it.

Chloe was the first one to wake up, but she was the last one to get out of bed. After what had happened last night, she knew it was going to be awkward with Beca this morning. The redhead was dreading seeing the brunette, but their encounter was inevitable. Besides, she had to help get ready for the Trio party. So, Chloe finally got out of bed and got ready for the day before heading down to the kitchen.

"Good morning, Ginger. How did you sleep?" Amy asked when she noticed Chloe leaning back against the kitchen counter.

"Uh, great," Chloe said tiredly as Amy poured a cup of coffee for her. "Where's Beca? I need to talk to her about something."

"I'm right here," Beca said, taking a sip of her own coffee as she walked into the kitchen.

Chloe jumped a little when she heard Beca's voice but recovered quickly. "Hey, Beca," she said, gladly taking the cup of coffee from Amy. "Can I talk to you, alone?" She asked nervously.

"Sure," Beca replied, sipping her coffee again as she followed Chloe out of the kitchen and into the living room. "What's up?" She asked once they were out of earshot.

"I need to apologize for my behavior last night," Chloe started, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I lead you on, and I'm sorry. I didn't want to end it, but I also didn't want to rush anything. I know that seems confusing, but I just thought you should know how sorry I am."

A smile tugged at the corner of Beca's mouth while Chloe spoke. "I accept your apology," the brunette stated after the redhead finished her sentence. "But you should know that I'm done. I'm not playing this game anymore," she added in a serious tone of voice.

Chloe raised an eyebrow at Beca's last few words. "What game?" She asked.

"Us," Beca said simply. "My life has been a never-ending emotional rollercoaster for too long. I need to take a step back from everything and focus on myself for awhile," she explained.

"Oh," was all Chloe said at first. "Yeah, I completely understand. No more games, just friendship," she added after a moment of silence.

"Okay then. We're on the same page now, right?" Beca asked.

Chloe nodded her head before they headed back into the kitchen to help Amy with the food for the party. "So, who's on the guest list for tonight? I assume you'll let some fans in since you'll be releasing a new song," Chloe thought aloud.

"We're actually not letting any fans in. Fans can be unpredictable, and we don't want things getting out of hand," Amy answered.

"That makes sense," Chloe said as she pulled her hair back into a bun. "Who is on the guest list, then?" She asked.

It was Beca's turn to answer a question. "The usual crowd, plus Aubrey, Emily, and Stacie and Logan. They're all coming down here today."

"Really? I can't wait to see them!" Chloe exclaimed excitedly. "Are any of your celebrity friends coming tonight?"

"Taylor's definitely coming. I haven't heard back from Ed, but he should be coming too," Beca replied with a smile.

"Wait, are you saying Ed Sheeran might be coming?" Chloe asked. Ed Sheeran was one of her favorite modern singers. "It would be so cool if he came."

Beca nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah, it would. He hasn't been to one of our parties before, so I hope he comes," she said.

"I'm looking forward to hearing your new song tonight," Chloe stated before she began chopping up some bell peppers.

"It's a good one, alright. Probably one of the best songs I've ever written," Beca mentioned confidently.

"Every song you write is amazing, Becs," Chloe said while smiling Beca's way.

"Thanks," Beca said, trying not to blush at Chloe's words. The brunette then turned to Amy. "Is there anything I can help with?"

"Yeah. Can you help with the twice-baked potatoes?" Amy asked while she breaded the chicken.

"Sure. What do you want me to do?" Beca asked.

"I need you to sprinkle cheese, bacon, and green onions on the potatoes. Then, put them in the oven," Amy instructed.

"I'm on it." Once Beca had done that, she turned back to Amy. "What else can I help with?"

"Just go make sure that the set-up for the party is ready. I'll have thought of something else once you're done with that," Amy said, continuing to bread the chicken.

Everyone in their friend group would be attending the party that night, even Stacie and Logan. The only exception was Chicago because he had a game the next day. That night, those who had been invited to the party started arriving around 8 o'clock. Stacie and Logan arrived first, with Jesse and Aubrey and Benji and Emily arriving soon after them.

"Hey, guys. It's been awhile," Beca said with a smile when Stacie and Logan walked through the front door.

"It's so great to see you, Beca," Stacie said, smiling back at Beca while she took off her coat. Once she had done that, the tall brunette gave the shorter brunette a hug. "I forgot how big your house is," she laughed.

Beca chuckled along with Stacie for a moment. "Chicago mentioned that you were staying with him this week. How is he?" She asked.

"Oh, uh, he's good," Stacie answered, the smile on her face now a forced one.

Beca noticed the change in Stacie's expression but didn't say anything about it. "That's good to hear." She then turned to Logan. "How was your trip?"

"It was good, but I missed my girl a lot," Logan said, putting an arm around Stacie's waist as he spoke. "I love what you've done with this place, Beca," he commented.

"Thanks. I can't take all the credit, though. Amy's the one who took charge when it came to decorating the house," Beca chuckled again.

"She did an awesome job. It looks beautiful," Logan said before they headed into the living room.

Chloe joined them in the living room a few minutes later, carrying a bottle of wine in each hand. Stacie let out a squeal when she saw the redhead, for it had been years since they last saw each other. "Chloe!"

"Stacie!" The two women ran towards each other and embraced tightly when they met in the middle of the room. "I've missed you so much! How have you been?" Chloe asked, a big smile on her face.

"I've been good. I can't believe how long it's been since I last saw you!" Stacie said, smiling back at Chloe. "Let me introduce you to my boyfriend. Chloe, this is Logan."

Logan held his hand out for Chloe to shake. "Nice to meet you," he stated politely.

"Nice to meet you too. I've heard a lot about you," Chloe said, smiling and shaking Logan's hand. "You better be taking care of my friend here," the redhead warned.

"Don't worry, I am," Logan replied with a chuckle before giving Stacie a quick kiss on the cheek.

"You sure are," Stacie said, looking down at the ground after forcing a smile onto her face again.

Chloe was now the one who noticed the look on Stacie's face, but she also didn't say anything about it. Instead, she turned to Beca. "When will the next guests show up?"

"Jesse and Aubrey should be getting here any minute now. Same with Benji and Emily," Beca answered.

"Sounds good. Everyone make yourselves at home," Chloe announced, smiling.

An hour later, everyone that was invited had made it to the party. Chloe was currently hanging out with Beca, Karlie Kloss, and Selena Gomez. "Chloe, you could definitely be a model. You're so beautiful that you'd get a lot of gigs," Karlie mentioned.

Chloe was taken aback by Karlie's words. "Really?" She asked in disbelief.

Karlie smiled and nodded her head. "Oh yeah. You could totally pull it off."

"But I'm only five foot four. Aren't models supposed to be, like, almost six feet tall?" Chloe wondered aloud.

"Oh honey, that's how it used to be. There are models of all shapes and sizes now," Selena said before taking a sip from her glass of wine.

"I think you should consider it, Chlo," Beca interjected, smiling softly as she spoke.

Chloe looked down for a moment so Beca wouldn't see how hard she was blushing. "You really think so?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah, I do," Beca said while nodding her head and smiling a little more.

Chloe then furrowed her eyebrows. "But what about my music career? I don't know if I'll have time to pursue both music and modeling."

"Oh, I bet you would. Lots of people do it," Selena told her in a reassuring tone of voice.

"You don't have to do music and modeling at the same time either. You can if you want, but I'm sure there wouldn't be a problem with you focusing on one thing at a time," Beca added.

"Now that you put it that way, I'll definitely consider it," Chloe stated happily. The smile on her face was directed at Beca, and everyone knew it.

Later that night, Chloe was going to get a hard lemonade from the kitchen while Trio was setting up to perform their new song. She didn't expect to find Stacie already in the kitchen, sitting in a stool by the counter and holding a bottle of beer. "Stacie? Are you okay? You're always the life of the party."

Stacie forced a smile onto her face yet again as soon as she heard Chloe's voice. "I'm okay. What makes you think otherwise?" She asked curiously.

"You've seemed a bit down all night," Chloe explained with a shrug of the shoulders. "Is there something on your mind? If so, do you want to talk about it?"

Stacie shook her head. "No, not really. Thanks for the offer, though," she murmured.

"Of course," Chloe said, smiling at the tall brunette. "Logan's a great guy, by the way. I can tell he really loves you," the redhead added.

"I really love him too," Stacie replied while biting her lip and looking down for a moment.

When Chloe saw this, she decided that it was time to take action. "Stacie, are you sure you're okay? I've noticed that you get upset whenever someone brings up Lo-"

"I'm okay, okay?" Stacie interrupted, her voice much harsher than she intended it to be. "Sorry for snapping. I've just had a long week, that's all."

"No worries. I shouldn't have tried to invade your privacy. I just want you to know that you can talk to me about anything," Chloe said, taking one of Stacie's hands in hers and squeezing it gently before turning to leave the kitchen.

That's when Stacie dropped her bombshell. "I slept with someone else last night!" She blurted out.

Chloe instantly turned back around, her eyes wide with shock. "You what?"

"I slept with someone else last night," Stacie repeated, sniffling a little as she did so. "I didn't plan for it to happen, but it did. I've never felt so awful about something in my life. I've never felt so guilty about something in my life."

"Who did you sleep with?" Chloe asked curiously.

Stacie took a shaky breath before she answered Chloe's question. "Chicago. I slept with Chicago."

"Oh, wow." There was a moment of silence between the two of them before Chloe spoke up. "Are you gonna tell Logan?"

"There's no use in telling Logan. It didn't mean anything," Stacie insisted, even though that was far from the truth given their past.

"It had to have meant something or else it wouldn't have happened," Chloe stated firmly.

"Even if it did mean something, there's still no use in telling Logan. I broke Chicago's heart this morning. He probably never wants to see me again," Stacie said glumly.

Chloe couldn't help but frown. "So you're gonna lie to Logan? What if he finds out? Wouldn't you rather him hear it from you than from someone else?"

"I can't, Chloe. His last girlfriend cheated on him," Stacie mentioned, sniffling some more. "I know I should tell him, but he'll leave me when I do. I already lost Chicago this morning–I can't lose Logan too."

"Well, I would tell him if I were you. The least you can do is let him start healing sooner rather than later," Chloe suggested. "It's up to you, though. You should do what you think is right," she added.

"I don't know what to feel worse about at this point. I feel horrible for both things I did," Stacie said, sighing to herself while running her fingers through her hair. "I said something awful to Chic this morning."

"What you said to Chicago can't have been as awful as what you did to Logan," Chloe said, anger now in her voice. "I know what it feels like to be cheated on. You may be my friend, but I can't condone your actions. I'm sorry."

"I'm not asking you to, Chloe. I know what I did to Logan was awful, but I lead Chicago on and told him that he meant nothing to me," Stacie stated before taking a sip from her beer.

Before Chloe could respond, Cynthia Rose walked into the kitchen. "Trio's ready to perform," she informed them excitedly.

"We'll be right there." Chloe turned back to Stacie once Cynthia Rose had left. "We will continue this conversation later." Then they left the kitchen and joined everyone else in the living room to watch Trio's performance.

Amy made a beeline for Chloe as soon as she spotted the redhead. "How much you wanna bet that this song is about you?" She joked.

"Shut up," Chloe giggled, shaking her head at the blonde's antics. There was a good chance that Amy wasn't wrong, though, as most of Beca's love songs were about her.

The crowd started cheering once Trio had taken their places on the stage. "Thanks for coming out tonight, everyone!" Beca said into the microphone, causing the crowd to cheer louder. "Before we begin, we want to thank you all for coming on this incredible ride with us. The last few years have been amazing, and it wouldn't have happened without you guys." Beca continued after letting the crowd cheer some more. "Now, this song is about all the trials and tribulations that can happen in a relationship. This is Youngblood," the brunette announced, looking directly at Chloe as she said that.

"Youngblood"- 5 Seconds of Summer

 **Beca:** "Remember the words you told me,

'Love me 'til the day I die'

Surrender my everything

'Cause you made me believe you're mine

Yeah, you used to call me baby,

Now you calling me by name

Takes one to know one, yeah

You beat me at my own damn game

You push and you push and I'm pulling away

Pulling away from you

I give and I give and I give and you take,

Give and you take

Youngblood

Say you want me, say you want me out of your life

And I'm just a dead man walking tonight

But you need it, yeah, you need it all of the time

Yeah, ooh ooh ooh."

 **Beca & Jesse: **"Youngblood

Say you want me, say you want me back in your life

So I'm just a dead man crawling tonight

'Cause I need it, yeah, I need it all of the time

Yeah, ooh ooh ooh."

Beca looked out into the crowd like she always did when she performed. She and Benji were playing their guitars while Jesse played the drums. Beca glanced down for a moment, making eye contact with Chloe when she looked back up. The brunette winked at the redhead before going into the second verse of the song.

 **Beca:** "Lately our conversations

End like it's the last goodbye

Then one of us gets too drunk

And calls about a hundred times."

 **Beca & Benji:** "So, who you been calling baby?

Nobody could take my place?

When you're looking at those strangers

Hope to God you see my face."

 **Beca, Benji, & Jesse:** "Youngblood

Say you want me, say you want me out of your life

And I'm just a dead man walking tonight

But you need it, yeah, you need it all of the time

Yeah, ooh ooh ooh

Youngblood

Say you want me, say you want me back in your life

So I'm just a dead man crawling tonight

'Cause I need it, yeah, I need it all of the time

Yeah, ooh ooh ooh."

Beca closed her eyes and lost herself in the music as usual, feeling the rhythm and singing each note perfectly. When the brunette opened her eyes, she made eye contact with Chloe again. This time, however, she didn't look away from the redhead; she gazed into her eyes and sang directly to her instead.

 **Beca:** "You push and you push and I'm pulling away,

Pulling away from you

I give and I give and I give and you take,

Give and you take

You're running around and I'm running away,

Running away from you, mmm, from you."

 **Beca, Benji & Jesse: **"Youngblood

Say you want me, say you want me out of your life

And I'm just a dead man walking tonight

But you need it, yeah, you need it all of the time

Yeah, ooh ooh ooh

Youngblood

Say you need me, say you want me back in your life

So I'm just a deadman crawling tonight

But I need it, yeah, I need it all of the time

You push and you push and I'm pulling away,

Pulling away from you

I give and I give and I give and you take,

Give and you take

Youngblood

Say you want me, say you want me out of your life

And I'm just a dead man walking tonight."

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause when the song ended. Beca smiled widely as she looked at everyone in the crowd, her smile growing even wider when she made eye contact with Chloe yet again.

Chloe was cheering louder than anyone else, for she was that proud of her best friend. Once again, Beca had amazed her with her killer songwriting abilities.

Stacie decided to confess to Logan after Trio's performance. She had thought about what Chloe told her, and she knew that it would be better if he heard the truth from her. So, Stacie grabbed Logan's hand and started to walk away from the crowd. "Can we go somewhere and talk?" She asked, knowing that this may be the end of their relationship.

"Sure," Logan said, smiling when Stacie took his hand and led him out of the living room and into the kitchen. "What's up?" He asked once they were alone.

"Logan, I...I've done something terrible," Stacie said, trying not to get choked up.

Logan stopped smiling as soon as Stacie said that. "What did you do?" He asked, concern in his voice.

Stacie took a deep breath, doing her best to hold in the tears that were welling up in her eyes. "I, uh, cheated on you last night. I slept with someone else," she admitted.

Logan didn't say anything for quite some time; he just stood there, his eyes closed and his fingers running through his hair. After what felt like forever, he finally broke the silence. "Why?"

Stacie shrugged her shoulders, still holding in her tears somehow. "I don't know. I love you so much, Logan. I don't know why I had to fuck this up like I've fucked everything else in my life up. I'm so, so sorry. I'm not good enough for you."

Logan shook his head. "Don't say that. I'm obviously the one who's not good enough," he said sadly.

Now Stacie was shaking her head. "That's not true. You're more than good enough for me. You're always there when I need you, you treat me better than I deserve, and I'll never be able to repay you for it."

"If I was good enough for you, then why did you cheat on me?" Logan asked, his voice cracking with emotion about halfway through the question. "Surely you wouldn't have cheated on me if I was good enough for you," he reasoned.

"I did it because I was scared. I still am scared, actually," Stacie explained.

Logan raised an eyebrow at these words. "Scared of what?"

"Scared of you leaving me for someone better. I now realize that fear is irrational, but I can't help it. I love you so much, Logan," Stacie continued, hoping that she was convincing enough.

"I love you too, but I can't do this again," Logan said, shaking his head as he gently pushed Stacie away from him.

"Please don't go, Logan. Please stay with me," Stacie begged, basically bawling by now.

Logan winced at the sound of Stacie's sobbing. "Don't make this harder than it has to be, Stace."

Stacie grabbed one of Logan's hands and pulled him back to her. "Please, give me another chance. I made a mistake. It won't happen again, I promise."

"Fine. Look me in the eyes and tell me it didn't mean anything. If you can do that, I'll give you a second chance," Logan challenged, crossing his arms as he awaited Stacie's response.

Stacie closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she spoke. "It didn't mean anything," the tall brunette stated, opening her eyes and looking directly at Logan as she said that.

Logan smiled sadly at Stacie. "You see, it's hard for me to believe you when you say that after what happened in my last relationship."

"But I mean it, Logan. I promise you that it didn't mean anything," Stacie vowed, still gazing into her boyfriend's eyes.

"Was it with Chicago?" Logan asked curiously. "Because if it was, it definitely meant something."

Stacie hesitated when Logan brought up Chicago. "It was with Chicago, but it still didn't mean anything. I told him so this morning."

"Do you really believe that?" Logan asked, his arms still crossed. "Just tell me now: do you have feelings for him?"

Stacie started shaking her head before Logan finished his question. "No, I don't. I only have feelings for you," she said.

Logan let out a sigh of relief and then stepped closer to Stacie, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear before wiping her tears away. "I only have feelings for you too, Stacie." After he said that, Logan leaned in and kissed his girlfriend. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise," he mumbled against her lips.

Stacie also let out a sigh of relief, lingering on Logan's lips for a little while as well. "Thank you. I'm so sorry," she murmured, starting to get choked up again.

"You don't need to apologize anymore, okay? I've forgiven you," Logan replied while wrapping his arms around Stacie's waist.

Meanwhile, the rest of the partygoers had moved out onto the balcony since there was a disc jockey playing some music there. Beca was currently talking to Jesse and Taylor Swift while Chloe was milling around and starting several conversations. The brunette was having a hard time not drooling over the redhead, who looked absolutely stunning.

"Hello? Earth to Beca," Taylor said with a chuckle.

Beca snapped out of her trance thanks to Taylor. "Huh?" She asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"You might as well ask Chloe to dance since you've been ogling her this whole time," Taylor mentioned, chuckling some more.

"What? No I haven't," Beca defended herself while trying not to blush at Taylor's words.

Taylor shrugged her shoulders, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth as she did so. "Whatever you say."

"One dance won't hurt, Beca. Go ahead and ask her," Jesse told his bandmate before nudging her in Chloe's direction.

"If you insist," Beca grumbled as she walked towards Chloe, who was talking to Karlie and Selena again.

It didn't take long for Chloe to notice Beca standing there. "Hi, Beca. What's up?"

"Hey, Chloe. I was wondering if you'd like to dance with me," Beca replied with her hands in her pockets and an awkward smile on her face.

Chloe looked at Karlie and Selena before nodding her head. "I would like to dance with you," she stated before taking Beca's hand and leading her to the dance floor as "Fallin' All In You" by Shawn Mendes started to play.

"So, did you like Youngblood?" Beca asked when she and Chloe got to the dance floor.

"Are you kidding? I loved it. It was great," Chloe said, smiling and wrapping her arms around Beca's shoulders as they started to dance together. "It has an interesting message," the redhead thought aloud.

Beca nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah, it does. Out of curiosity, what would you say that message is?"

"I know it's about me, first of all," Chloe chuckled. "More specifically, I think it's about how you're in a constant state of wanting and not wanting me, if that makes sense," she added.

"Mmm, not quite. It's not that I want and don't want you at the same time; it's that I want you but not having you is what's best for me right now," Beca explained.

"Oh, yeah." Beca's last few words made Chloe's stomach lurch. _...not having you is what's best for me right now._ "Yeah, that makes more sense."

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I worked on that song for a long time," Beca mentioned proudly.

"I'm glad you're proud of your music, Beca. I know how much you've put into your career," Chloe said, looking down for a moment after she finished speaking. She was happy that Beca was proud of the song, but it hurt to hear Beca say that she was better without her.

Beca concentrated on the song that was playing in the background for a few moments. "I don't think I've heard this song before. Have you?"

"I have, actually. It's by Shawn Mendes. I remember thinking of you the first time I listened it," Chloe replied, blushing at her own words. "What do you think of it?"

Beca paused as she thought of an answer to Chloe's question. "I can see why it made you think of me, because it makes me think of you," the brunette started. "The lyrics are beautiful because of how simple they are. They remind me of some of Ed's lyrics."

"I can see that. In my opinion, the lyrics remind me of your love songs," Chloe stated before looking away from Beca and out the window at the LA skyline. "It's beautiful here, don't you think?"

Beca chuckled and nodded her head again. "Uh huh. I don't know how anyone could think this place isn't beautiful."

Chloe was unable to tear her eyes away from Beca's lips as she spoke. _Stop it, Chloe. That's the last thing you should be focusing on._ As much as she respected Beca's boundaries, Chloe couldn't help but pine after her.

Beca saw where Chloe was looking, but she didn't think much of it. Instead, the brunette wrapped her arms around the redhead's waist and pulled her closer as the song ended. "Thank you for dancing with me," she whispered.

"Anytime," Chloe whispered back, looking down once again before slowly lifting her head back up. Her arms were still wrapped around Beca's shoulders even though the song had ended. Chloe then did something she knew she would definitely regret: she cupped Beca's cheeks with her hands and pulled her into a passionate kiss. The redhead knew how wrong this was, but she just couldn't help herself.

The kiss didn't last very long, for Beca didn't really reciprocate. The brunette broke the kiss and then slowly backed away from Chloe. "What are you doing?" She asked, looks of both surprise and confusion on her face.

"I'm sorry," Chloe said quietly, tearing up when Beca backed away from her. "I'm sorry," she repeated before rushing away from the party scene, not making another appearance that night.

 **Hmmm, so Stacie and Logan have decided to stay together despite the fact that Stacie was unfaithful. And Stacie also broke Chicago's heart by calling him a "one-night stand" and nothing more.**

 **Not to mention that Beca also said she's better off not being with Chloe. At least, that's how Chloe took it. How do you guys think Beca will address Chloe after what happened at the party? Also, do you think "Youngblood" is the perfect song for their relationship? What song do you think best describes it? Let us know what you thought!**

 **Until Next Time!**


	13. Chapter 13: Expect the Unexpected

Chapter 13: Expect the Unexpected

After the party ended, Beca went up to Chloe's room to check on her. She found the redhead fast asleep, so she didn't disturb her. The brunette wanted to talk about the kiss, but it would have to wait until the morning. Beca was right for not wanting to ask Chloe to dance with her, as the redhead had started giving her "heart eyes" the minute they got to the dance floor. It wasn't that the brunette's feelings had changed; it was that she needed a break from the mess their relationship had become. They hadn't been making any progress, so they needed to try something different.

After what went down the night before, Beca was surprised to find Chloe already awake when she went to get a cup of coffee from the kitchen. The brunette wasn't sure how to start the conversation she wanted to have, so she stood towards the back of the room while she tried to figure out what to say. Five minutes went by and Beca still didn't know what to say, so she decided to do what she was there to do. The brunette walked over to the coffee maker and poured herself a cup of coffee, waiting in vain for Chloe to say something. She finally spoke up after another couple minutes of silence. "Are you okay?"

Chloe, who was making some scrambled eggs for breakfast, refused to look over at Beca; instead, she stayed right where she was. "I'm fine, thank you very much," the redhead stated coldly while focusing on the eggs.

Beca knew that was a lie, but she didn't want to push Chloe's buttons. "Okay, good." The brunette spoke again before a long silence could fall over them. "What do you want to do today?" She asked, trying to make polite conversation.

"Like you even care," Chloe muttered under her breath before answering Beca's question loud and clear. "I don't know. What do you want to do today?"

"Uh, we could go see a movie later," Beca suggested after thinking about it for a moment or two.

Chloe raised an eyebrow at Beca's suggestion. "But you hate most movies. Why would you want to go if you'll probably end up hating it?" She asked.

"Like you said, I hate movies. I don't hate all movies, though. Let's see which movies are playing and pick the one that I'll hate the least," Beca replied with a chuckle.

Chloe nodded her head in response before taking a sip of coffee. "Let's go to the movies later. I want to go for a run first, though."

"Alright. I'll find out which movies are playing while you do that," Beca said before taking a sip from her own cup of coffee.

"Okay," Chloe said, finishing her cup of coffee and then leaving Beca alone in the kitchen.

Beca sighed as Chloe walked out of the kitchen. She didn't get much time to wallow, though, as Amy walked in soon after. "Why the long face, short stack?"

Beca shook her head. "It's nothing."

"Yeah right. You should know that I'm a human lie detector by now. What happened this time?" Amy asked as she put a couple slices of bread in the toaster.

Beca sighed again and took another sip of coffee before she answered Amy's question. "Last night, Chloe kissed me while we were dancing together. I didn't kiss back because I already told her I want to be just friends for now. She's been real snippy with me ever since, so she must've taken it the wrong way," the brunette stated.

"Well, she wouldn't be short with you if she took it the right way," Amy pointed out, getting some peanut butter for her toast. "Are you gonna talk to her about it?"

"I don't know. I was gonna do it a few minutes ago but I didn't get around to it," Beca said, scratching the back of her head. "Do you think I should talk to her about it?"

"Mmhm. You two clearly need to get on the same page," Amy said as she took the toast out of the toaster. "If you don't talk to her, she'll stay upset," she added.

Beca nodded her head and then began thinking to herself. It seemed like every time she and Chloe took a step forward, something would move them three steps back. What she really needed was to reset and restart. There was a long moment of silence before the brunette spoke up. "I think I should go away for awhile."

Amy raised both eyebrows at Beca's words. "Why do you say that?"

"I just need to clear my head, you know? I need to take a step back from everything and relax. There's been a lot going on in my life, and I need to get ahold of things before they overwhelm me," Beca explained.

"Are you gonna go to some remote location?" Amy wondered aloud as she put some peanut butter on her toast.

"If you consider Seattle a remote location, then yes," Beca chuckled. "It's been a long time since I spent quality time with my family, so I figured I'd go home."

"When will you be back?" Amy asked before taking a bite out of her toast.

"I don't know. Once I've cleared my head and figured out what I want to do, I guess," Beca said, biting her lip a little as she did so. "I'll fly there tonight after Chloe and I talk things through."

"Beca, are you sure about thi-"

"I'm sure. I need to do this. It's for my own good," Beca stated firmly.

"Okay. I just want you to be sure," Amy said, nodding her head.

Beca took a deep breath while nodding her head along with Amy. "This is what's best for me, I'm sure of it. I need to find myself again, and this is how I'm gonna do it."

That night, Beca decided to clear the air while she and Chloe were driving home from the movies. The brunette knew this was going to be her last chance to talk to the redhead for awhile, and she wanted to make the most of it. "Hey, can we talk?"

Chloe's breath hitched when those words came out of Beca's mouth, for she knew exactly what the brunette wanted to talk about. "Yeah, sure," the redhead murmured.

"Can you tell me what I did to upset you? Because I feel like it wasn't just the kiss," Beca said.

"You're not wrong there," Chloe mumbled, not looking over at Beca.

"I know, so can you tell me what I did? Please, Chloe. I don't want you to be upset with me anymore," Beca stated genuinely, reaching over and taking one of the redhead's hands in her own.

Chloe teared up as Beca held her hand. "You basically said that I wasn't good for you," she stated, a couple tears falling down her cheeks. "You said that you finally feel free without me, that you don't love me anymore."

Beca was taken aback by Chloe's response. "What? I didn't say that. When did I ever say that?" She asked, unable to keep a frown off her face.

"When we were dancing last night. You said that song was about how I'm not good for you," Chloe said. "At least, that's how I interpreted it," she added, pulling her hand away from Beca's.

"Hold on." Beca looked away from Chloe as she pulled the car to the side of the road. The brunette turned back to the redhead once the car was parked. "Chlo, that's not what I meant at all."

Chloe scoffed a laugh. "Then what did you mean, Beca? Your message seemed pretty damn clear to me," she said while shaking her head.

Beca closed her eyes and sighed as she thought of how to explain this to Chloe. When she was ready to give up, a lightbulb went off in her head. "Look in the glove compartment. There's a little black box in there. Open the box when you find it," she instructed.

"And why should I do that?" Chloe challenged, finally facing Beca.

"Just do it," Beca insisted, urgency in her voice.

Chloe rolled her eyes but did as Beca told her, opening the glove compartment and rummaging through old registration papers until she found the box. The redhead looked over at the brunette before taking the box out and opening it. What she found inside was a simple but beautiful diamond ring. "Beca, what is this?"

"What do you think it is?" Beca asked, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"Were you planning to propose to me or something?" Chloe asked, raising an eyebrow as she examined the ring.

Beca chuckled at this. "Believe me, I would've gotten a much nicer ring if I was going to propose," she stated. "It's a promise ring."

Chloe continued to examine the ring. "Why would you get me a promise ring?" The redhead asked curiously.

"I got you a promise ring because I love you. I love you now, I loved you then, and I'll love you always," Beca said, reaching for Chloe's hand again. "I've had this ring for almost six years now. I got it when we were last together in high school," the brunette added.

This time, Chloe linked their fingers together instead of pushing Beca's hand away. "Why, though? I'm not worth this much."

"I'm going to stop you right there. You're worth so much more than this. You're worth everything," Beca stated, lifting Chloe's chin up with her finger as she did so. "I had a revelation the day I got this ring. Do you know what that revelation was?"

Chloe shook her head. "What revelation did you have?"

"That you're the one for me." Beca hoped Chloe knew how much she meant those words, for she had never meant anything so much in her life. "I was performing 'Tenerife Sea' during one of Trio's concerts, and I saw you dancing in the audience. I don't know why, but seeing that made me realize that you're the one for me. I just knew it. That's why I bought the ring."

The tears that were falling down Chloe's cheeks were now happy tears. "Beca, I-" she started. "I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything for now." Beca then took the box from Chloe. "This ring is my promise to be the one for you. I'm not in the right state of mind for a relationship now, but I'm doing everything I can to change that." There was a moment of silence as Beca thought of what else to say. "Chlo, I'm going away for awhile," she mentioned quietly.

"Wait, what?" Chloe asked, looking directly at Beca as she spoke. "Why are you leaving?"

"I need a break, Chlo. I've been working my ass off nonstop for as long as I can remember. I've found success, but I've lost myself. I'm going back to Seattle to see my family and find myself again, and I'm not coming back until I do," Beca explained.

Chloe sniffled a little. "Oh. Do you know when that will be?"

"No, I don't. But I do know that you and I will have our time when I come back," Beca replied, squeezing Chloe's hand gently to reassure her.

"Really?" Chloe asked hopefully.

Beca nodded her head. "Really." She then took the ring out of the box and held it up. "I know it's not fair of me to ask this, but will you wait for me?"

Chloe took a deep breath and gazed into Beca's eyes. "I will wait for you, Beca Mitchell. I love you," she whispered while holding her hand out so Beca could put the ring on her finger.

"I love you too, Chloe Beale," Beca whispered back, smiling widely as she slipped the promise ring onto Chloe's ring finger. The brunette then looked into the redhead's eyes, glancing down at her lips every so often.

"I'll wait for you as long as it takes," Chloe said while doing the same thing Beca was.

"Thank you," Beca mumbled, starting to close the distance between her and Chloe after she finished speaking.

"You're welcome," Chloe mumbled back before meeting Beca in the middle, pressing their lips together in a loving kiss.

The kiss wasn't a very long one, but it didn't have to be. When the kiss ended, Beca leaned her forehead against Chloe's. "I love you so much, Chlo. More than anything."

Chloe smiled at the warm and fuzzy feeling she felt inside. "I love you too, Becs, and I'll be waiting for you when you get back."

Up in San Francisco, Chicago was getting ready for his next game. He was more focused than usual for a couple reasons. It was mostly because the 49ers were taking on the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs, but he also needed something to take his mind off everything that had happened within the last 30ish hours.

Right now, Chicago felt like the only thing he'd gotten right in life so far was football. Everything except that, his family, and his friends was falling apart. These feelings had been troubling him for awhile now, but he didn't realize it until he had to watch the love of his life leave him behind possibly for good. Despite all that, Chicago came to play. His team was two wins away from clinching a playoff berth, and he wasn't going to be the one to screw that up.

It was a close game from the beginning, as both defenses performed extremely well while both offenses struggled to get something going. The score was tied at halftime, but the Chiefs had taken a seven-point lead by the start of the fourth quarter. The Chiefs had punted the ball to end the third quarter, so the 49ers' offense took the field after a brief timeout.

There was no need for a huddle since they had just had a timeout, so the players quickly lined up in their positions and waited for the snap. Coach Shanahan had called a deep pass play in which Chicago and two wide receivers ran straight down the field. Chicago had memorized the entire playbook, so he knew his route like the back of his hand.

Chicago sprinted down the field as soon as the ball was snapped, leaving his defender behind. The ball was already in the air by the time he looked back, so he started running even faster to make sure he caught it. Chicago caught the ball near the Chiefs' 30-yard line, and there was nothing but open field ahead of him. However, his defender caught up to him as he neared the goal line and dove at his legs in a last-ditch effort to keep him from scoring.

Chicago did make it into the end zone, but not before his defender latched onto his legs. He got tackled after he crossed the goal line, his ankle twisting awkwardly as he was brought down. Chicago heard a crunching sound and then felt pain shoot up his leg, which definitely wasn't a good sign.

After the referees blew their whistles to end the play, Chicago tried to get up but was unable to do so. He couldn't put any weight on his leg, and he found himself down on the ground again. The referees saw this and called for a timeout, stopping the game while the injured player was tended to.

The trainers jogged out onto the field while the players headed over to their respective sidelines. "What happened?" The head trainer asked as soon as he got to Chicago.

"I think I twisted my ankle as I fell down," Chicago replied, groaning in pain as they examined his ankle. "I heard a crunching sound too," he added, now only grimacing.

"Well, we're gonna have to do an x-ray on your leg. Do you think you can walk back to the locker room, or should we bring out the cart?" The head trainer asked.

Chicago tried to get up but failed for a second time. "Shit, that hurts," he muttered under his breath through gritted teeth.

"Call the cart," one of the other trainers said before she started to prepare a splint for Chicago's leg.

By the time the cart arrived, Chicago had finally managed to stand up. He needed help getting into the cart, though, as he still couldn't put any weight on his leg. The cart then took him to the locker room, where the team doctor was waiting to do the x-ray.

The x-ray was completed relatively quickly, but the results weren't positive. "I'm afraid your tibia is broken. It's a clean break, so you'll probably need surgery. It'll take at least four months for you to recover, maybe even longer. I hate to say this, but your season is over," the team doctor stated.

Chicago opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. _How can it be over?_ He thought to himself. _My rookie season wasn't supposed to end like this_. After another moment of silence, Chicago finally spoke up. "Thanks, Doc. I appreciate it."

The doctor smiled sympathetically at Chicago. "I'm sorry, kid. Injuries are tough, especially when they happen when you're hitting your stride. Keep your chin up, bud. You'll get through this. I'm sure you'll come back stronger than before."

A couple weeks later, Stacie slumped down on the couch in her apartment after running some errands. She then closed her eyes and tried to relax, for she wasn't feeling well that day. The tall brunette was constantly nauseous and couldn't focus on something if her life depended on it. _Why do I feel like this?_ Stacie asked herself before sighing heavily.

"Hey, babe, how are you?" Logan asked, wiping his wet hair with a towel as he walked out of the bathroom.

"I'm okay. I don't feel good right now," Stacie said while running her fingers through her hair.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Logan asked, sitting down next to her and pulling her close.

Stacie shook her head. "I'm fine for now, thanks," she said, smiling softly as she cuddled up to Logan.

Logan leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "Are you on your period? If you are, I'll go make some of your favorite hot cocoa for you."

"I'm not, but thank you." Stacie's eyes went wide as she said that. "Oh shit."

Logan raised an eyebrow at this. "What? Is everything oka-"

"Y-yeah. I just remembered I left my laptop at work, that's all," Stacie interrupted, hoping Logan would believe her explanation.

"Oh. Do you want me to drive you?" Logan offered.

"No, it's okay. I'll be back in a half hour or so," Stacie replied, giving Logan a kiss on the cheek before getting up and ready to go.

Stacie drove to the nearest drug store, making a beeline to the feminine care aisle once she was inside. The tall brunette grabbed two different pregnancy tests along with some Pepto-Bismol. Stacie then brought the items to the counter and paid for them before leaving the store.

Scary thoughts were on loop in Stacie's head as she walked to her car. _I can't be pregnant. If I am, my life will be thrown off course completely._ Then, the tall brunette stopped in her tracks. _Oh God. If I'm pregnant, there's a chance that Logan's not the father._

Despite that thought, Stacie tried not to panic since that would only make things worse. When she got back to their apartment, she snuck into the bathroom before Logan could spot her. Stacie made sure to lock the bathroom door before pulling down her skirt to take the first test. She took the second test after the first, staying as calm as possible throughout the process.

Once she had finished both tests, Stacie set a timer on her phone and then closed her eyes. Seconds felt like minutes and minutes felt like hours as she waited for the timer to go off. When it finally did, the tall brunette felt a lump grow in her throat. Stacie took a test in each hand before opening her eyes to look at the results. Both tests displayed two lines. "Oh no."

 **Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Do you think that Stacie really is pregnant? Also, when do you think Beca will return?**

 **Until Next Time!**


	14. Chapter 14: Who's the Father?

Chapter 14: Who's the Father?

Stacie sat in the waiting room at the doctor's office, trying to find the silver lining in her situation. The best-case scenario was obviously Logan being the father, but there was a good chance that the tall brunette was pregnant with Chicago's baby.

Chicago being the father was the worst-case scenario for multiple reasons. Stacie wasn't sure if he would want to be a part of his child's life after what happened the last time they were together. Some of the words that were said were on a loop in her head. _You're just a one night stand. He's my boyfriend._ Whenever she thought about that moment, it made her cringe with guilt. And on top of all that was already going on in Stacie's head, she knew for a fact that Logan would break up with her if she was carrying Chicago's baby.

"Stacie Conrad?" A friendly voice called out.

Stacie looked up to see a male nurse standing there. "That's me."

"We're ready for you. Just follow me," the nurse stated before leading her back to a testing room. "A doctor will be with you shortly," he informed her.

All Stacie could do was sit there and stare at the wall as she waited for the doctor. The tall brunette hoped to God she wasn't pregnant. While she and Logan were pretty sexually active, they were very careful about using birth control and wearing protection; in fact, they didn't have sex without it. But when she had sex with Chicago that one night, she couldn't remember if they had used a condom or not.

About five minutes went by before the door opened. In came a female doctor who looked to be in her early fifties. "You must be Stacie. I'm Doctor Williams, but you can call me Tara," she said with a friendly smile.

"Hi, Tara. It's nice to meet you," Stacie replied while smiling back at the doctor.

"It's nice to meet you too, Stacie." Tara then sat down in a chair with wheels before turning to face Stacie again. "So, what can I do for you?"

"I-I was wondering if you'd be able to confirm a pregnancy," Stacie answered, biting her lip and looking down as she did so.

"Yes, I can. That shouldn't take too long," Tara told her. "If you are indeed pregnant, would you like to find out how far along you are?"

Stacie nodded her head. "That would be great. Thank you."

"Of course." Tara turned away from Stacie to get a cup from one of the cabinets. "Go into that bathroom there and come back when you're done. Then I'll do the test."

Stacie took the cup from Tara and went into the bathroom. When she finished, the tall brunette returned and gave the cup back to the doctor. "Exactly how long will the test take?" Stacie asked curiously.

"Well, I'm going to dip a test stick in the cup and then pull it out after a minute or so. If the stick is pink, then you're pregnant," Tara explained. "If the test is positive, we'll do an ultrasound to find out how far along you are. That shouldn't take too long either."

"Oh, okay. I thought it was going to be a lot more complicated," Stacie mentioned with a chuckle.

"It used to be a lot more complicated, but not anymore," Tara said after chuckling along with Stacie for a moment. Then, she grabbed a test stick and put it in the cup. The doctor took the stick out once a minute had passed. "The color says it all. You're pregnant, honey."

Stacie wasn't as surprised as she was the first time, but her stomach still turned upside down a little. "I'm pregnant. Wow. Okay."

"I know this is big news," Tara said, her voice gentle and her smile comforting. "Would you like to find out how far along you are?"

Stacie took another deep breath before answering Tara. "Yes, please."

Tara had Stacie lay down on the bed so she could do the ultrasound. "It'll take a second to set the machine up," she stated. Once the machine was up and running, the doctor rubbed some cold gel on Stacie's stomach before taking the camera and placing it where the gel was. "I need you to take a few deep breaths, okay?"

An image came onto the screen a few moments later. Stacie squinted to see a little blurry spot no bigger than a kidney bean. She was frightened at the thought of becoming a mother, but that didn't stop her from smiling at the image. "How far along am I?"

"I'd say you're about four weeks pregnant." These words caused Stacie's smile to disappear, which didn't go unnoticed by Tara. "Is everything okay?" The doctor asked.

"Yeah, yeah, everything's fine," Stacie answered while forcing a smile back onto her face.

"Then you're good to go. You'll need to set up an appointment for next month so we can observe the baby's growth," Tara said, standing up and wiping the gel off of Stacie's stomach. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Stacie shook her head. "Nope, that's all. Thank you so much, Dr. Willi–I mean Tara. I really appreciate it," the tall brunette stated genuinely as she sat up.

"You're welcome. Feel free to call the clinic and ask for me if you have any questions," Tara replied with a kind smile as she held the door open for Stacie. "Have a nice day."

"You too, thanks," Stacie said, smiling gratefully at Tara before leaving the room.

After scheduling her next appointment, Stacie left the clinic and went out to her car. She opened the door and sat in the driver's seat but didn't start the car. Instead, the tall brunette sat there in silence while trying not to have a breakdown. Stacie pressed one hand against her stomach, closing her eyes as reality set in. It was all but confirmed that Chicago was the father of her child, which meant her relationship with Logan would be ending soon. The young woman couldn't help but let a few tears fall at the thought, and those few tears quickly turned into a river.

Beca had been in Seattle for about a month now. She spent her mornings working on her music and her afternoons with her family. Overall, the brunette was just trying to find herself again. She didn't know how long she would be in Seattle, so she wasn't rushing anything; she was letting everything come naturally.

Beca made sure to keep in touch with everyone, especially Chloe, this time around. She didn't want a repeat of what happened the last time they spent a considerable amount of time apart, and she knew the redhead felt the same way. Currently, they were FaceTiming each other while Beca was waiting to pick the twins up from school. "So, what have you been up to today?" The brunette inquired.

"Well, I had my first recording session at Residual Heat earlier. We worked on a couple pieces that I wrote in college," Chloe answered with a proud smile. "I went to the gym for a bit after that, and now I'm back at your place. What about you?"

"My day has been pretty uneventful. I tried to work on a song this morning, but I've got some serious writer's block right now," Beca said, groaning a little as she spoke.

"What's the song about?" Chloe thought aloud as she walked into the kitchen.

"Basically-" Beca paused, trying to find the right words to say. "Basically, it's about everything I've been through over the last five years. I think I'll call it 'Life is Worth Living.'"

"Hmm. Maybe you should talk about how the struggles you've faced made you lose your way," Chloe suggested. "You can also talk about how you're finding your way back. I don't know if that helps you or not," she added with a shrug of the shoulders.

"It does. It helps a lot, actually," Beca replied while a smile slowly spread across her face.

"I'm glad I could be of service, then," Chloe said, throwing in a wink just for fun. A moment later, she noticed that Beca was in her car. "Where are you?" The redhead asked.

Beca chuckled. "I'm picking the twins up from school, remember?" The brunette reminded her.

"Oh, yeah. Duh," Chloe deadpanned, laughing and trying not to blush at the same time. "How are the twins? I miss them almost as much as I miss you."

"They miss you a lot too. Henry always asks me if you're gonna come to another one of his recitals," Beca mentioned, still chuckling a little.

This comment made Chloe smile even more. "Didn't you say he advanced to the national competition in February? I should be able to go to that."

Now Beca was smiling widely as well. "He'd love that. I'll make sure to tell him later," she replied.

A short silence fell over the two of them. "I miss you," Chloe murmured while running her fingers through her hair.

"I miss you too," Beca said, sighing softly to herself.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to dampen the mood. It just feels weird not having you here," Chloe stated somberly.

"I'll be back before you know it, Chlo," Beca promised. "And I can't wait until I get to hold you in my arms again," the brunette added.

"So do I, Becs. So do I." There was another silence between the two of them before Chloe spoke again. "Oh, I almost forgot. I found an apartment downtown for a decent price! I'll be out of your place before the week is up."

Beca wasn't as enthusiastic as Chloe thought she'd be. "Oh, cool," was all she said.

Chloe raised an eyebrow at Beca's reaction. "What's wrong? Aren't you happy for me?" She asked.

"I am happy for you, Chloe. I just liked having you around, that's all," Beca clarified.

"I'll still come over whenever you want. The apartment isn't that far away from your house. It's only a ten minute drive," Chloe informed her.

"That's good." Once again, there was a moment of silence between the two women. "God, I miss you so much," the brunette sighed again.

"Beca," Chloe started, biting her lip a little. "I miss you too but, like you said, you'll be back before you know it. You're going to get better, and then you're going to come back to LA. You and I will be together again, this time for good," the redhead finished confidently.

"I just wish it wasn't so hard, you know? I wish we didn't have to wait. Every day without you is torture," Beca grumbled.

Chloe held up her hand to show Beca the promise ring she had given her the night she left. "Whenever you feel lonely or wish we were together already, just remember that I'm always wearing your ring. I'll wait for you, Beca, no matter how long it takes," the redhead vowed.

A smile tugged at the corner of Beca's mouth. "This is why I love you," the brunette said, her mood already better than it was before.

"I love you too." Chloe then looked at the time. "I should get going. I have an interview at UCLA in a couple hours."

"Wait, really? Since when?" Beca asked, scratching the back of her head as she spoke.

"Amy's aunt Ruth is one of the Deans there. She heard they were looking for a new teacher in the music program. Ruth told the program director about me, and they want to interview me for the opening," Chloe explained with a smile.

"That's great, Chlo. You'll be an amazing teacher," Beca stated genuinely.

Chloe blushed at Beca's words. "That's very sweet of you to say, but I doubt I'll get the job. It's at a prestigious university, and I don't have any teaching experience."

"The fact that they want to interview you has to count for something, right? They wouldn't be interviewing you if they weren't considering you for the job," Beca pointed out.

Chloe couldn't help but sigh to herself a little. "Yeah. I'll just be myself and hope for the best."

"That's all you can do. Everything will work out in the end. I know it will," Beca said, still trying to cheer Chloe up.

Chloe offered Beca a half-smile in recognition of her efforts. "I better go now. I'll call afterwards to let you know how it went."

Beca nodded in understanding. "Alright. Good luck, babe. Talk to you later."

Right after Beca hung up, one of the car doors opened. "Hey, sis," Henry said as he and Hailee climbed into the backseat.

"Hey, guys. How was school?" Beca asked.

"It was good. We're learning about volcanoes in science class," Hailee said as she buckled her seat belt.

"And I got to play one of the pieces I'm working on for Nationals in music class," Henry chimed in.

"That's awesome, you two!" Beca exclaimed, smiling at her siblings in the rearview mirror. "I just got off the phone with Chloe. She misses you both a lot."

"Aww, we miss her too," Hailee replied while smiling back at Beca.

"She also said she's gonna go to nationals, Henry," Beca added.

Henry's face lit up as soon as those words came out of Beca's mouth. "Really?"

"Really. She won't miss it for the world, and neither will I," Beca replied, reaching back and messing up Henry's hair a little before she drove them home. When they got home, Beca started making dinner while Henry practiced for his competition and Hailee did her math homework.

There was a knock at the door around five o'clock. Hailee answered it because she was in the living room then. When the young girl opened the door, she saw a woman with long black hair and bright green eyes standing outside. "Hi. Can I help you?" Hailee said sweetly.

"I'm looking for Beca. Is she home?" The woman asked.

"Um, yes." Hailee scrunched up her face as she looked at the woman. She seemed familiar, but the young girl couldn't figure out why. "Can I ask why you're here to see her?"

The woman smiled at Hailee's adorableness. "I'm Olivia, an old friend of hers. We haven't seen each other in a long time," she explained.

"Okay. I'll go get her for you," Hailee said, turning around and walking away from the front door. "There's someone here to see you," she announced as she went into the kitchen.

Beca was intrigued by Hailee's announcement, so she stopped what she was doing to go talk to the someone. She wasn't prepared for who she was about to see, though. When the brunette got to the front door, her jaw dropped and her eyes went wide. "O-Olivia?"

"Hey, Beca," Olivia said, smiling softly and waving shyly at the brunette. "How are you?"

Beca answered Olivia's question with a question. "What are you doing here?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at her ex.

Olivia glanced down when she saw this. "I'm in town for my parents anniversary, so I thought I'd drop by and say h-"

Beca scoffed a laugh. "Really? You were just gonna 'drop by and say hello' after what you did to me?"

Olivia sighed, for she figured this was how Beca would react. "Look, I don't blame you for hating me. What I did was awful, and I'm so sorry."

"Sure you are," Beca muttered while rolling her eyes.

"Beca, it's been seven years. Will you just hear me out?" Olivia asked desperately.

"And why should I do that? Give me one good reason," Beca demanded.

"I never got the chance to explain why I did what I did," Olivia stated. "I'm not saying that to excuse my actions; I'm saying that so you'll see things from my point of view."

Beca was about to say something snarky but decided against it. "Fine," she conceded before sitting down on the porch swing.

Olivia sat down next to Beca and took a deep breath before she spoke. "I've never been happier than I was when we were dating. I was so excited to tell my parents about you, but they got really upset when I did. My mom told me it was just a phase, and my dad said I couldn't see you anymore. I didn't want my parents to hurt you if they ever saw us together, so I started to distance myself." The young woman paused in an attempt to not get choked up. "The day I told you I was sick, they asked my neighbor Anthony to come over. They said they wanted him to tutor me, but I knew they were trying to make me straight. I gave into their plan not because I wanted to, but because I was weak," she finished.

Beca was silent as she processed what Olivia had just told her. She finally spoke up after a few minutes passed. "Why didn't you just break up with me? That would've hurt less," the brunette murmured.

"So much was going on in my life, Beca. I wasn't in the right state of mind. My parents didn't accept me, and I was too afraid to face you," Olivia admitted, tucking some of her hair back behind her ear. "I don't expect you to forgive me, but I figured that you needed to hear the whole story."

"What now?" Beca asked quietly, looking up and over at Olivia.

Olivia shrugged. "I only came over to give you a proper apology, so I should go now since you must never want to see me again," she said sadly.

"Wait." Beca grabbed Olivia's hand before she could walk away. "Would you like to grab a cup of coffee sometime?" The brunette offered.

Olivia raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Really? You want to do that?"

"Yeah. I mean, what's the harm in grabbing a cup of coffee? It'd just be two friends catching up," Beca pointed out.

Olivia nodded her head and then looked down at her feet. "Are you seeing anyone?" She wondered aloud.

"Uh, not at the moment. There is someone, though. It's complicated," Beca replied, scratching the back of her head as she spoke. "Why do you ask?"

Olivia shook her head. "No reason," she said. "When would we be getting coffee?" The young woman added.

"How about tomorrow?" Beca suggested. "I'm free from around eight in the morning until two in the afternoon. Would that work for you?"

"Yeah, that would," Olivia said, smiling back at Beca. "Thank you for giving me a chance to explain myself. I hope we're on better terms now than we were before."

"My mom's always said that forgiveness is the most crucial step in moving on," Beca mentioned. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Mmhm. See you tomorrow." Olivia turned around and walked across the porch, turning back to Beca when she reached the steps. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Beca repeated, watching Olivia as she got into her car and drove away.

Back in LA, Chloe had just gotten home from her interview at UCLA when her phone began to ring. She took it out of her pocket and smiled when she saw that it was Stacie. "Hey, Stacie. To what do I owe the pleasure of you calling me?"

"I'm pregnant," Stacie confessed. "I'm pregnant with Chicago's baby."

Chloe blinked a couple times as Stacie's revelation hit her. "Oh my god. How are you?" The redhead asked in a concerned tone.

"I'm okay. I'm kinda freaking out right now," Stacie said, doing her best to stay calm.

"When did you find out?" Chloe asked curiously.

"This morning. I went to the clinic and got it confirmed," Stacie answered, tears forming in her eyes.

"Have you told Logan yet?" Chloe asked, noticing how shaky her friend's voice was.

"No, I haven't. How can I? I'll break his heart all over again," Stacie said, biting her lip at the thought.

"Stacie, you have to tell him. You can't keep something as big as this from him," Chloe stated.

"I know. I just don't want to hurt him, but that seems inevitable at this point," Stacie sighed. "How am I supposed to tell Chicago?" She asked quietly.

Chloe didn't know what to say at first. "You're just gonna have to tell both of them. I don't know how, but you have to. You need to."

A silence fell between them after Chloe said that, Stacie's sniffles the only thing that could be heard. "Logan is going to break up with me when I tell him. And Chicago hates me now, so he'll turn me away before I even get a chance to tell him."

"Chicago needs to know because it's his child, and Logan is going to notice eventually so you might as well tell him now," Chloe said with a soft sigh. "I know this is hard for you, but it's honestly the only option you have."

"I don't want to lose Logan," Stacie sobbed, unable to hold her tears in any longer.

"Oh Stacie," Chloe said empathetically, wishing there was something she could do to comfort her friend. "Everything will be alright. Just keep your head up."

"Easier said than done," Stacie muttered, closing her eyes and running her fingers through her hair. Then, the apartment door opened. "Shit, he's here. I have to go," the tall brunette said quickly before ending the call.

Logan walked into the living room and sat down on the couch next to Stacie. "Hey, babe." The smile on his face faltered when he saw his girlfriend's red eyes and tear-stained cheeks. "What's wrong?"

Stacie took deep breaths as she tried to muster up the courage to tell the truth. "Y-you know how I've been feeling sick lately?"

"Uh huh. Have you seen a doctor about it?" Logan asked, taking Stacie's hands in his and squeezing them gently.

"Yeah. I went in today to find out why I've been sick…" Stacie trailed off, still unsure of how to break the news to Logan.

"And? What did they say?" Logan asked with a genuine look of concern on his face. When Stacie didn't answer, he repeated himself. "Stacie, what did they say?"

"I'm pregnant," Stacie whispered, looking away from Logan as she said that.

Logan's face turned white as if he had seen a ghost. There was a chance this baby wasn't his, and that thought made his stomach flip. The young man asked the first question that came to mind. "Is it mine or Chicago's?"

Logan's question caused a lump to grow in Stacie's throat. "I-I don't know," she lied.

"Please don't lie to me," Logan said, wanting to hear the truth from his girlfriend. Stacie was silent once again. "I'm not the father, am I?"

Stacie shook her head while a fresh wave of tears rolled in. "I'm so sorry, Logan. I wish you were, but that's not possible. I'm a month along, and your work trip was a month ago."

Logan didn't say anything for a couple minutes. "I love you, Stacie," he murmured to finally break the silence.

"I love you t-"

"But I want to raise my own child with you. I don't know if I can handle raising someone else's kid. I don't want to be constantly reminded of the fact that you slept with another guy," Logan finished harshly.

Stacie nodded and looked down at the floor. "So that's it, then?" The tall brunette asked.

"Do you not understand? You're pregnant with the baby of the guy who bedded you while I was away," Logan stated, sounding more upset now. He then gave her an ultimatum: "If you want to fix things between us, then you can't keep the baby."

Stacie wasn't sure if she heard Logan correctly. "I'm sorry, what?" She asked, furrowing her eyebrows a little.

"If you want to fix things between us, then you can't keep the baby," Logan repeated firmly.

"Are you kidding me? You want me to get an abortion?" Stacie asked, shaking her head. "I do want to fix things between us, but not like that," she added, matching Logan's firm tone.

"I'm not saying you have to get an abortion. I just don't want you to keep it," Logan clarified.

Stacie crossed her arms. "It's not your child, Logan. You don't get to decide what I do with it," she argued.

"But I'm your boyfriend. I should at least be able to tell you what I think," Logan argued back, a hint of irritation in his voice now.

"My body, my choice. I'm keeping this baby whether you like it or not." With that, Stacie stood up and walked out of the room.

Logan groaned before getting up to follow Stacie. The tall brunette was currently in their room with her suitcase out. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Stacie snapped as she started to empty out her side of the closet.

"Come on, let's be reasonable about this. Don't make any rash decisions," Logan said, trying to stop Stacie from packing her belongings up.

"I am being reasonable. You don't want to help me raise this child, so I'm going to do it by myself," Stacie replied in monotony.

"So you're just gonna up and leave? Where will you go?" Logan asked.

"I don't know where I'll go. Anywhere is better than here at this point," Stacie said, putting a few more things in her suitcase before zipping it up and walking towards the front door.

Logan followed Stacie out of what was soon to be only his bedroom. "You do realize how ridiculous you're being, right?"

"What's really ridiculous is the fact that you think you can make decisions for me. I don't have a problem with abortion, but I do have a problem with my boyfriend trying to manipulate me so he gets what he wants," Stacie retorted, not turning around when she spoke.

"I wasn't trying to manip-" Logan started before Stacie cut him off.

The young woman turned back around to face Logan. "You said that the only way to fix our relationship was if I didn't keep the baby!" Stacie yelled, not even crying at this point. "Tell me how that isn't manipulative?"

"You were trying to manipulate me into raising someone else's kid! If anyone's being manipulative, it's you!" Logan yelled back.

"You know what, you're right. I probably did try and get you to raise this kid with me." Stacie said, taking a deep breath. "You want to know why?"

"Please, enlighten me." Logan said, shaking his head.

"Because I don't know how Chicago is going to react after the last time I saw him. My child may never know who their biological father is, so I wanted you raise it with me because I don't my child to not have a father!" Stacie said with hurt in her voice. "But if you don't want to raise it with me, then you don't have to." There was a quick pause before she spoke again. "I'm going to raise this child, with or without you." She said before turning and opening the door, slamming it behind her.

 **Hey guys! We hope you liked the chapter, and we're sorry that you and to wait so long for it.**

 **Now before you all hate on us in the comments lol, we should let you know that this whole Olivia isn't going to last. If you read the chapter before this one, you know that Beca gave Chloe a promise ring, and that Beca definitely isn't going to break that promise. So don't get upset. Beca doesn't have feelings for Olivia whatsoever, so there's nothing to worry about.**

 **What did you think about Chicago being the father and Stacie leaving Logan? Tell us your thoughts!**

 **Until Next Time!**


	15. Chapter 15: Nowhere Else To Go

Chapter 15: Nowhere Else to Go

"Where am I taking you, miss?" asked the taxi driver.

"NEMA Apartments, please."

Stacie was currently in the back of a cab, gazing out of the back window as rain began to fall outside. The gloomy sky fit perfectly with how she was feeling at the moment. The tall brunette had just ended her two-year relationship with Logan, the person she thought would be most understanding. She had never been so wrong, though.

Now Stacie was on her way to Chicago's place, unsure of what she was going to say to him. 'Should I tell him about the baby?' She thought to herself. It was his child, so he had a right to know; however, Stacie didn't know how he would react after what happened the last time they saw each other.

"Those are some nice apartments," the cab driver said. "Some celebrities and professional athletes live there."

"Yeah, I know. I went to high school with Chicago Walp." Stacie said with a sad smile.

"Wow, that's pretty cool. It's a bummer he got injured in his rookie season. He was having a hell of a year. That boy's got some magic in him." Said the driver.

"He does," Stacie said, nodding her head in agreement. "He really does," she added absentmindedly.

As the cab drove up and down the rainy streets of San Francisco, Stacie recalled the night that she and Chicago had slept together for the second time.

 _Chicago ran his hands along Stacie's body, caressing her legs with his fingertips. "You're so damn beautiful," the young man muttered in a husky tone before he started pressing his lips to her skin, paying special attention to her neck._

 _Stacie sighed with content, pushing Chicago's head down as he kissed her neck. "You're pretty handsome yourself," she whispered in his ear before taking his earlobe between her teeth and nibbling on it._

" _Mmm," Chicago hummed, moving his lips to Stacie's and kissing her passionately. "I've missed you so much," he said when their lips parted._

" _I've missed you too," Stacie said, cupping Chicago's face in her hands as they gazed into each other's eyes. The tall brunette then sat up and took her shirt off very slowly. "Like what you see?" Stacie asked, smirking at the look on Chicago's face._

" _Uh huh," Chicago said absentmindedly, unable to tear his eyes away from Stacie. A few moments later, he snapped out of his trance and kissed Stacie again after removing the rest of her clothes._

 _Stacie broke the kiss just as things were starting to heat up. "Do you have protection?" She asked breathlessly._

 _This question wiped the smile off Chicago's face, he didn't have any condoms since he hadn't really needed them until this very moment. "No, I don't. I'm sorry," the young man apologized, sitting up and scratching the back of his neck in a troublesome manner, reaching for his shirt to put it back on. It was probably for the best that this didn't happen, no matter how much they both wanted it to._

 _Stacie didn't say anything at first; then, instead of getting dressed and forgetting all about this, she pulled Chicago into a deep kiss, making him drop his shirt once more. There they were, laying in bed. Just the two of them. Nothing else existed except for the two of them. Logan wasn't even a thought at the moment. Stacie then pulled away, leaving both herself and Chicago breathless. "That's alright," she muttered while still catching her breath. "We don't need it. We'll be careful."_

 _Chicago was surprised by this response. "Are you sure?" He asked cautiously._

 _Stacie nodded her head and smiled. "Yeah, I am. Are you?" She replied._

" _I am if you are," Chicago stated confidently. He leaned down and kissed Stacie once again, yet this kiss was shorter but sweeter than the previous ones._

 _The young woman smiled against her lover's lips. She then pulled away a few moments later, looking lovingly up into Chicago's eyes. "Chic?"_

 _Chicago looked deeply into Stacie's eyes, running his hands along her legs. "Yeah?"_

 _Stacie continued once she knew she had his full attention. "I love you, and I hope you know that."_

 _A smile slowly spread across Chicago's face when Stacie said that. He had longed to hear those words from her ever since their graduation night. "I love you too, Stace, more than I've ever loved anyone before."_

Stacie's heartstrings tugged at her chest as she reminisced about everything they had said and done that night, especially the oh-so-truthful exchange of "I love you." She didn't get much more time to dwell on it, though, as the cab soon came to a stop in front of Chicago's apartment building _._

The young woman paid the driver before getting out of the cab. She took her belongings out of the trunk and then hurried to get out of the rain. As the elevator went up to Chicago's floor, Stacie thought about what she would say to him.

Chicago had invited Elijah and Ross over for a "bros night." Right now, they were playing FIFA on his PlayStation. "You guys want another beer?"

"Yeah, that would be great," Ross replied. Elijah nodded his head in agreement.

"Alright. Two beers coming up," Chicago said, standing up from the couch. He grabbed one of his crutches for support as he walked into the kitchen. The young man was about to open the fridge door when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Elijah offered. When he opened the door, he came face-to-face with a tall brunette who was dripping wet. He noticed that she had a bunch of stuff with her as well. "Uh, hi. You're Stacie, right?"

Stacie smiled and nodded. "Is Chicago here?" She inquired.

"Who's asking?" Chicago went over to the door, stopping dead in his tracks as soon as he saw Stacie. "Let me guess—your boyfriend is on another work trip," he deadpanned.

Stacie narrowed her eyes at Chicago's comment. "He's not my boyfriend anymore, so I couldn't really care less about where he is," she fired back.

Chicago's heart fluttered until certain memories brought him back to reality. "Then why are you here, Stacie?" He demanded, waiting for an answer before Ross cut in.

"Elijah and I are gonna go pick up some more beer. We'll be back in half an hour," Ross interjected before they left, meaning Stacie and Chicago were now alone.

The expression on Chicago's face was a mixture of heartbreak and anger. "So, have you come for another meaningless hookup? You know, since that's all I am to you." Chicago asked.

Stacie looked down at the marble-tiled floor of Chicago's front room and then bit her lip, feeling a bit guilty for saying those things to someone who really meant everything to her. She then looked back up at him, and shook her head. "I have something to tell you…"

As much as Chicago wanted to shut the door in Stacie's face, her tone of voice made him step aside so she could come in. The two of them sat down on opposite sides of the couch, not really looking at each other. "What is it you need to tell me? Did Logan hire a hitman to take me out? Is this your warning for me to flee San Francis-"

"I'm pregnant." Stacie blurted out while tears welled up in her eyes.

Chicago's initial reaction was to just sit there and process what he had just heard. Eventually, he ran his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath. "Okay," he started, pausing to collect his thoughts. "I'm guessing you're here because it's not Logan's. Did he call it quits with you?"

"I was the one to end things, believe it or not," Stacie mentioned with a short chuckle.

"We have a lot to discuss, then," Chicago stated after taking another deep breath.

"Yeah, we do," Stacie murmured in reply.

There was a painfully long moment of silence before Chicago finally spoke up. "Wow, I'm gonna be a dad," he said, a look of wonder on his face. "I've always wanted to be a dad. I didn't think it would happen this soon, though," the young man added. Silence occupied the room once again. "I know that you and I are not on the best of terms right now, but I'd still like to be a part of my child's life," Chicago stated.

"You do?" Stacie asked slowly, not expecting Chicago to say that.

"Of course. I'd help you raise this child no matter whose it was," Chicago told her, smiling softly as he spoke. He then noticed that Stacie looked like she was about to break the dam of tears welling up in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"That's what I hoped Logan would say. Instead, he said he'd only stay with me if I didn't keep the baby," Stacie explained, holding it together as best she could. She didn't maintain her composure for very long, as tears soon began to fall down her cheeks. However, it wasn't until she put a hand on her stomach that she completely broke down.

Chicago was able to put two and two together pretty quickly. "So that's why you broke up with him," he thought aloud to himself. "Shit. I'm so sorry, Stace. I know you loved him a lot," the young man said, rubbing circles into the tall brunette's back to comfort her.

In response to this, Stacie wrapped her arms around Chicago's neck and then laid her head on his shoulder. "Can I stay here until I find my own place?" She asked hopefully.

"Mmhm. You can stay here as long as you like," Chicago replied while wrapping his arms around Stacie's waist and pulling her closer. "And feel free to take my room, I'll sleep in the guest room."

Stacie breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Chic. Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Chicago stated, softly rubbing her arm in a comforting manner. "You know I'd do anything for you in a heartbeat."

Earlier that day in Seattle, Beca met Olivia at a coffee shop by her parents' house. The brunette smiled when she walked inside and saw Olivia already sitting in a booth. "Good morning. I'm glad we're getting a chance to catch up," Beca said as she sat down across from her ex.

"Me too," Olivia said, smiling back at Beca. "So, what have you been up to lately?" She asked after taking a sip from her cup of coffee.

"Besides being part of a famous band? Not a lot, really," Beca chuckled before falling silent for a moment. "The last few years have been pretty rough, to be honest. That's why I'm back."

Beca's last couple statements piqued Olivia's interest. "What happened?"

"Long story short, I got really depressed really fast," Beca answered, looking away as she did so. "I came back to find myself again," she finished.

"Ah, that makes sense." Olivia took a sip of her coffee. "You've written some really amazing songs, just so you know."

"Thank you," Beca said, smiling at the praise. "I remember the first song I ever wrote. It was about you."

Olivia nodded. "I remember it too. It was 'I Was Made For Loving You'. You played it at the Valentine's Day dance," she said, smiling at the memory. "I still really love that song. It's probably my favorite of yours, maybe because it was a beautiful love song made for me," she added with a blush.

Beca couldn't help but blush as well. "I've made many beautiful love songs for you," she replied quietly.

"Your recent ones are about someone else, though, aren't they?" Olivia asked. When the brunette nodded, she sighed to herself. "Can you tell me about her?"

"Things with her are...complicated," Beca started, pausing to find the right words to say. "We met our senior year in high school when she moved to Seattle. She actually dated Chicago for most of the school year, but they broke up when he announced his commitment to Georgia even though he'd told her he was committing to NYU. We started spending more time together after that, then one thing led to another and we got together. Spending the summer with her was great, it was the best summer of my life, actually; but then she had to leave for New York. We broke up because of the distance but agreed to stay friends. That is, until I fucked everything up."

"It can't have been all your fault," Olivia pointed out in an attempt to reassure Beca.

"Maybe, but a lot of it was. It just sucks because I still love her," Beca said, noticing the way Olivia winced at her last few words. "Now enough about me. What have you been up to all this time?"

"Oh, you know, just living life I guess," Olivia said with a little chuckle. There was an awkward moment of silence before she spoke again. "I've really missed you, Beca."

"I never thought I'd be saying this, but I missed you too." Beca said with a half smile. She then looked down at her watch. "I have to go and pick up Henry and Haliee from school. They have a half day today. It was really nice getting to catch up." Beca gave Olivia a hug before getting up to leave. Little did she know that some paps were sneaking photos of her and Olivia the whole time they'd been talking.

"Oh, okay. Yeah, it was nice getting to catch up," Olivia said, a little bummed out that Beca had to leave so soon. "Can I, like, text you?" She asked hesitantly.

Beca stopped and turned to face Olivia. "Yeah, of course. I wouldn't mind that." She said with a kind smile before she walked out of the coffee shop. She then got out her phone and called Chloe. When the redhead answered, Beca couldn't help but feel her insides flutter like butterflies. "Hey, how are you?"

"I'm good! How are you?" Chloe said, her voice cheery as always.

Beca smiled at the redhead's voice. "I'm good too. What have you been up to today?"

"I just got done talking to Stacie, actually." Chloe said.

"Really, what did you guys talk about?" Beca's asked in a curious tone of voice as she walked over to her car.

Chloe hesitated for a moment, not sure if she should tell Beca what she'd just heard. That Stacie was pregnant, and Chicago was the father, and that she was about to tell Logan. "Oh, we were just talking about some days when I might go up and visit her. You know, once I've moved into my new apartment."

"Oh, that's fun." Beca tried but failed to hide the way her mood changed when Chloe brought up moving. "Are you excited?"

"I am, I'm really excited." Chloe stated. "I love the spot. It's close to my new job, and also close to my gym and the beach!" She said excitedly, though she could tell Beca was a bit upset by her moving out.

Beca found herself smiling at how ecstatic Chloe was. "That's great, Chlo. I'm happy for you, I really am," the brunette replied, having to strain her voice a bit so she could match Chloe's tone.

"I have to say, I'm going to miss the comfy bed in your guest bedroom." Chloe said with a chuckle. "But I got a nice comfy bed for my new place. In fact, Amy is going to help me move in tomorrow."

"Wait, you've closed already?" Beca asked, holding another sigh in as she climbed into the driver's seat of her car and connected the Bluetooth to her phone so they could continue talking while Beca drove to pick up Henry and Hailee.

"Yeah, I closed yesterday!" Chloe exclaimed.

"Wow. That's great, Chloe. You're practically moved in already," Beca joked, wanting to make Chloe laugh as much as she wanted to cheer herself up. "So when can I come see the new crib for myself?"

"Whenever you decide to come back to LA, you are always welcome." Chloe explained with a soft smile. The girl sat on the couch in Beca's living room, smiling at the promise ring she had on her finger. The one Beca had given her. "So, what have you been up to today?" She asked.

"Well, I'm on my way to pick Henry and Hailee up from school because today was a half-day for them," Beca answered while debating whether or not to mention Olivia. "And I just grabbed a cup of coffee with an old friend," she finally added.

"Oh that does sound nice." Chloe started. "Who with?" She asked.

"Uhhh," Beca started. Shit, she didn't know how Chloe would react to the old friend being Olivia. What if Chloe got mad? What if she got upset by it? What if she started to suspect Beca and Olivia were dating again, and decided to stop wearing the promise ring Beca had given her? Beca took a deep breath, then said, "Olivia."

At first, there was a moment of silence. It felt like forever, but then Chloe spoke. "And how is she doing?" The redhead trusted Beca, otherwise she wouldn't have been wearing the ring in the first place. She knew the short brunette would stay true to her, even if they weren't together at the moment.

Beca let out a sigh of relief. "She's, uh, she's good. We haven't seen each other in a really long time, so it was nice to catch up with her."

"Good, I'm glad you had a nice time," Chloe stated genuinely. "What's she doing in Seattle?" The redhead wondered aloud.

"Uh, I think she's here for her brother's high school graduation." Beca said.

"Huh, I didn't know she had a brother." Chloe thought out loud.

"That's because I never felt the need to mention him. He wasn't really a part of my life like Olivia was. His name is Robert. He's a good kid." Beca said as she turned in the street of Henry and Hailee's school.

"Oh, that makes sense," Chloe murmured.

"Yeah." Beca then pulled into the parking lot of the school. "I just got to Henry and Hailee's school, so I'm gonna go now. Can I call you back later?" She asked.

"Yeah of course, talk to you soon, Becs." Chloe said before hanging up.

Beca sat there, relieved at the fact that Chloe was understanding of her hanging out with Olivia. _That could've gone a lot worse_ , she thought to herself. _But why do I still have a bad feeling about all this?_

The same thought was going through Chloe's head. _I do trust Beca to be honest, but there's something that doesn't feel quite right about this._ Out of the blue, Olivia had turned up in Beca's life. The person Beca had first loved before she met Chloe, the person who had broken Beca's heart, had just showed up again.

The young redhead sat there with a troubled expression on her face, and she lay back against the couch for a moment. _It's probably nothing to worry about._ Chloe told herself. _Don't get too wrapped in this, Beca knows how to handle a nuisance when one shows up._

The next morning in San Francisco, Chicago took a cab over to the public library to check out a few books. The young football player loved to read, and was turning a few in. However when he got there and turned in his books at the counter, a sudden thought popped into his head.

"Do you have any books on pregnancy?" He inquired. The thought that he was going to be a father had kept him up almost all night, and he wanted to do the best he could, and know what to do when Stacie needed help.

"Why yes. They'll be in the nonfiction section on the third floor," said the worker behind the counter.

"Great, thanks," Chicago replied, giving the worker a short smile and nod before turning away from the counter.

"Wait a minute, don't you play for the Niners?"

Chicago chuckled and turned back to face the counter. "Yeah, I do. I'm on injured reserve right now, though," he stated.

"I heard about that," said the worker. "That's a shame. But you know what they say, what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."

"Yeah, I plan to come back stronger," Chicago said with a smile before hopping in his boot up the stairs to the third floor.

When he found the books on maternal life, Chicago sighed with relief. If he was going to help Stacie, he needed to know how to properly do so. He took a deep breath. "Okay, let's pick a few out."

The NFL rookie started by picking out some books that had been published more recently in order to keep himself up with the times. He then selected a couple that specifically covered the process of pregnancy, and a few more that dealt with life after the baby is born. Once Chicago was confident that he had enough books, he went to the checkout desk.

Chic started reading one of them in the cab on the way back to his apartment, it was called _The Expectant Father: The Ultimate Guide For Dads-to-be_ by Armin A. Brott and Jennifer Ash. The young man got so caught up in it, he hardly noticed when he finally reached his apartment building.

After paying the cab driver, Chicago headed up to his apartment with his new books, hearing the shower running in the master bathroom as he went to hang up his jacket in the closet. He could hear Stacie singing softly in the shower, which made him smile. The young man then thought about the night they had together, when their child had been conceived.

 _The two of them began moving out of the movie room, desperate to reach Chicago's bedroom. At one point, he had her pinned between him and the door, kissing her neck and scratching against her waist underneath her shirt._

 _The level of love and passion between them was something Chicago had never experienced before. Not even when he had dated Chloe back in high school. Whenever his lips pressed against her skin, Stacie made some sort of noise or gesture, such as pulling his dark hair or tugging at his shirt._

" _Aren't you ever going to take that shirt off?" Stacie muttered, reaching for the door knob behind her, pushing it open once she knew Chicago had a tight grip on her body._

 _Chicago chuckled at Stacie's impatience. "If you want my shirt off so bad, then why don't you do it yourself?" He suggested playfully._

" _Maybe I want to see you take it off for me," Stacie muttered breathlessly._

 _After hearing this, Chicago stepped back and pulled his shirt over his head slowly. He made sure to give Stacie a nice look at each one of his abs and his strong chest._

 _That was exactly what Stacie wanted to see. Her eyes darkened at the display in front of her, and she couldn't help but lick her lips. "Mmm, you're so sexy."_

" _Get over here," Chicago said with a smile. When Stacie ran over to him, he picked her up and carried her to the bed._

Chicago smiled at the memory, and then walked to his room to change for his workout in the gym downstairs. He had never felt more alive than he did when he was with Stacie; that's how he knew he had fallen head over heels for the tall brunette. Lucky for him, she felt the exact same way.

The only thing holding Chic back from saying anything was the fact that Stacie had just gone through a breakup, and he didn't want to be the rebound. Though the thought seemed silly since they were having a child together, he just thought some time as a single woman was what Stacie needed.

After his workout, Chicago came back and showered. Once that was over he headed to the kitchen where he saw Stacie eating avocado toast. "How's your morning been?"

"Pretty good," replied Stacie between bites. "What about yours?" She asked with a smile.

"Great, actually. I went to the library earlier. I got some books for expecting mothers, and some books to help me prepare. I really want to get this right." Chicago said, showing a little nerves. He just wanted to be a good father.

Stacie's smile grew even more at how genuine Chicago was being. "Awe, that's so sweet of you, Chic. Can I see the books?"

"Yeah, yeah of course." Chicago handed her some of the books. As the young woman looked at the books, Chicago continued to speak. "I want to be as good a father as I can. I know books can only teach you so much, but I'm going to do my best."

"I know you are," Stacie said, taking one of Chicago's hands in her own and giving it a soft squeeze.

Chicago smiled at this gesture. "You're going to make a great mom, Stace. I already know you will," he stated confidently. After staying like that for a moment, Chicago cleared his throat and slowly pulled his hand away. "When is your first appointment?"

"In two weeks," Stacie said. "Will you come with me?"

"Of course," Chicago replied. "I wouldn't miss it for anything in the world."

"I'm kinda nervous for it, though," Stacie admitted, biting her lip and looking down.

Chicago frowned when he saw the look on Stacie's face. "I am too," he said honestly. "But we know everything will be alright." He walked over to the other side of the counter. He leaned against the counter. "I know our child will be healthy, I guess I'm more worried that I won't be a good father." He said, looking down as well.

"What? Chic, of course you're going to be a good father. You're a great guy; there's no reason anyone, including yourself, should think you won't be a good father," Stacie said, trying to get Chicago to look at her.

"I'm sorry, I'm just nervous is all." Chicago said, turning to look at Stacie. He then grabbed one of the books and chuckled. "I guess I better get reading." He said, looking at Stacie, noticing she was smiling his way.

"You and me both," Stacie replied, biting her lip again before turning her attention towards picking one of the many books Chicago had gotten for her.

Chicago smiled at her, taking in her beauty. He was so enchanted by Stacie, more than he had been for anyone. "You're wonderful."

Stacie raised an eyebrow. "Huh?" She asked, not sure if she had heard him correctly.

"I said you're wonderful," Chicago mentioned, stepping closer to her. "And you're going to be a wonderful mother." His hand reached and took her hand, looking at how easily they molded together.

"Oh, thank you." Stacie was looking at their hands too, but not in the same way Chicago was. The tall brunette then made eye contact with the NFL rookie before pulling her hand away. "Chic, I can't...not yet...I'm not ready," she murmured.

Slowly, Chicago came back to reality, and pulled away. "Fuck, I'm sorry...I'm sorry Stacie." The young man stepped back, scratching the back of his head. He grabbed the book and gripped it tightly. "I'm going to go read," he stated before walking away from Stacie, mentally slapping himself for making a move.

 **Hello everyone!**

 **sorry for such a long delay but we will start posting more often! We hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

 **Until Next Time!**


	16. Chapter 16: Keeping A Promise

Chapter 16: Keeping A Promise

"You're almost there, buddy. Just keep practicing it over and over, and you'll get it in no time," Beca told Henry in an encouraging way. Her younger brother had asked her to listen to him play a new piece he was learning. "Can you take it from the top again?"

Henry groaned. "This is the most intricate song I've ever tried to learn."

"Intricate, that's a big word. I don't think I've ever heard you use it before," Beca chuckled before patting him on the back. "Don't worry, you'll get it soon enough. You're a fast learner."

"What's the most intricate song you've ever played?" Henry asked his older sister curiously.

The young Grammy winner had to think about it for a moment, as her music history was deep. She'd started guitar and piano when she was seven, but she never really thought about the toughest song she'd ever played.

Then it came to her all of a sudden. "I'd have to say that it's probably 'Bohemian Rhapsody' by Queen," she stated confidently.

Henry's eyes went wide at Beca's answer. "You know how to play 'Bohemian Rhapsody'?" He inquired in disbelief.

Beca nodded. "Yeah. Every now and then I'll play it at concerts, with Benji singing lead while Jesse and I do the harmonies."

Henry looked at Beca in awe. Then, the boy started to smirk. "Oh yeah? Prove it," he challenged.

Just as Beca was about to prove it, her phone started buzzing. She looked down and saw Olivia's photo on the screen. "Give me a minute." She then got up from the piano, and pressed the answer button. "Hello, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"What are you doing tonight?"

"Uh, I've been helping Henry learn a new song on the piano, but I don't really have any plans tonight," Beca replied, scratching the back of her head. "Why?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to go get some food," Olvia said, coming straight out to say it. She had secretly tipped the paparazzi off, but she obviously wasn't going to tell Beca that.

"Oh, sure. That would be fun. Did you have a particular place in mind?" Beca asked.

"How about Cal's Zone?" Olivia mentioned. "Let's say at six? Does that work?"

"Yeah, I'll be there. See you then," Beca said before they said goodbye and hung up the phone. She then turned back to her brother. "Alright then, let me show you how it's done."

Down in LA, Chloe was currently moving into her new place with the help of Amy, Jesse, Aubrey, and Benji. They were currently getting stuff out of Jesse's truck, which they used to move Chloe's stuff from Beca's house to here.

"Thanks for helping, you guys," Chloe said.

"Of course, Chloe. Thanks for letting us help you move into your new place," Benji replied enthusiastically.

"It's really beautiful," Aubrey stated while she and Amy lifted a couple boxes out of the bed of Jesse's truck. "I think you're going to love living here, I have a friend from work who lives here and she loves it."

"That's good to hear, because I couldn't find any other affordable apartments that were this close to my new job," Chloe mentioned before grabbing a box for herself and taking it up to her apartment and into her new bedroom.

"How did Beca react when you told her you were moving out?" Jesse asked curiously.

There was a bit of silence between them for a while. "I don't really know how to interpret the way she reacted. She said she was happy for me, but it seemed halfhearted," Chloe said, setting down the box on her bed.

"I wouldn't read into it too much, Ginger. She just liked having you around a lot, that's all. I'm sure she really is happy for you," Amy stated.

Chloe nodded, hoping Amy was right. She then started to unpack the box. "I miss Beca, a lot. That house feels incomplete without her."

"I know, I miss her too, Red," Amy said, patting Chloe on the shoulder. "But hey, she'll be back before you know it, and I know for a fact that she'll be over to visit a lot."

Amy's words did help Chloe feel better, and she smiled hopefully. "I think she will. I'll be over to the house to visit a lot too," she added.

The Australian raised an eyebrow at the redhead's last statement, but she didn't say anything. She just smiled knowingly before going to get one of the other boxes.

"Do you have any idea when Beca will come back?" Aubrey asked Chloe as Amy walked away.

"She's taking some time off to find herself again, so who knows? Soon, I hope. But I'm going to wait for her, as long as she needs me to," Chloe said, smiling softly. She then held her hand up, showing off the promise ring Beca had gotten her.

"Holy shit, Beca proposed!" Aubrey said, both jittery and surprised at the same time.

"What?!" Amy exclaimed, rushing back over to them after hearing Aubrey's excited shriek.

"Huh?" Chloe asked, just as confused as Amy was. She then realized that Aubrey had misinterpreted her gesture. "Oh, this is just a promise ring. Beca didn't propose to me," the redhead explained.

"Ohhhhhhh," said both Aubrey and Amy at once.

"She gave it to me the night before she went back to Seattle," Chloe said.

"That's really special," Aubrey said, smiling at her friend. "What did Beca say when she gave it to you?"

"Well, first she told me that she had bought the ring back when we were in high school. She said that singing 'Tenerife Sea' at one of Trio's shows made her realize that I'm the one for her," Chloe started, smiling as she recalled the memories.

"Oh my god, that's adorable," Amy said with a smirk on her face. "What a cheese ball."

"What else did she say?" Aubrey asked, intrigued to hear more about the promise ring.

"Beca told me she still loved me, and that once she felt like herself again, she'd come back and we'd give our relationship another try," Chloe explained, getting all warm and fuzzy inside when she thought of that happening.

Both Amy and Aubrey smiled at the look on Chloe's face. "That's so sweet, Chloe. I'm so happy for you two," Aubrey stated kindly.

"I've found the love of my life, you guys," Chloe said, looking down at the ring one more time. It was really easy to be happy when thinking about Beca, thinking about their future.

Later that night, Beca was pulling into the parking lot at Cal's Zone when she saw Olivia get out of her own car. The brunette waved at her before searching for a spot, parking in the first open one she found. Once her car was parked, she got out and went to join Olivia, who was waiting for her at the door.

"You look nice," Olivia said, smiling shyly at Beca.

"Thanks, you do too." Beca then walked in with Olivia and they took a seat at one of the booths near the salad bar. "How's your day been?"

"It's good now that I'm with you," Olivia answered, the smile on her face growing as she spoke.

Beca winced a little at those words, but not enough for Olivia to notice. "That's nice to know."

The two of them talked about Beca's possible new music that she'd been working on since she'd been in Seattle, and she asked Olivia what she was planning on doing once she left Seattle. It was a nice conversation, and Beca was enjoying her time. Although, she kind of noticed Olivia was using a lot of excuses to make skin to skin contact. It was a bit awkward, and Beca would pull away most of the time. "Hey, can I ask you something?" The brunette asked.

"Of course, Becs," Olivia said, running her fingers along the back of Beca's hand and batting her eyelashes at her.

"Have you...uh, you know...seen anyone since we broke up?"

Olivia was a bit taken by surprise by Beca's question, but nevertheless, she answered. "I dated Remy during college for a year, to get my parents off my back. But I haven't had a serious relationship. Why do you ask?" Olivia asked, secretly hoping Beca wanted her back.

"Just wondering, that's all," Beca replied shortly before taking a sip of her drink. She pulled her hand away from Olivia's, not wanting the woman sitting across from her to get the wrong idea.

"Oh, okay."

Their food got there about twenty minutes later, and Beca enjoyed the conversation they were having. "How are your parents?" She asked, taking a bite out of the Mediterranean pizza they had ordered.

"They're good. What about yours?" Olivia asked before she took a bite from her own slice of the Mediterranean pizza. "And your siblings, how are they?"

"Pretty good, actually. Their helping my little brother train for his national piano competition. Henry is already a better piano player than I am, and Hailee can draw at the level of some artists that are twice her age," Beca said with a smile on her face, taking a drink of her water. She was really proud of Henry and Hailee, they were so talented at what they did. "It's pretty crazy to see how much they've grown up. Everytime I blink, they've become even older, and even more amazing at what they love to do."

"Wow, that's awesome. I'm sure their big sister is a huge inspiration to them," Olivia said, smiling at how proud Beca was of her younger siblings. "Their big sister inspires me too," she added.

"Well, if I'm inspiring people, I must be doing something right," Beca said, knowing what Olivia was doing. She was flirting, something Beca had learned pretty quickly after meeting her. Olivia was a flirt, and not in a bad way. It's just Beca was in love with one person and one person only.

Beca and Olivia split the check once they were done, both tipping their server well before getting ready to go. They were walking out of the restaurant when people rushed up to them, flashing cameras now in Beca's face. The paparazzi had found them…but how? The brunette stumbled backwards as her vision was blinded by the flashes. "What the hell?" She wondered aloud, putting a hand up in front of her face while trying to make her way through the mob.

Before she could make it that far, she felt a hand grab her and turn her around. Olivia, who had been the one to do so, pulled Beca towards her, and Beca couldn't stop the girl from kissing her, right in front of the cameras. The kiss wasn't long, because Beca shoved Olivia off of her pretty quickly after it started, but the paps had gotten what they wanted. "What the actual fuck, Olivia? Why would you do that?" She asked angrily.

"I-I don't know," Olivia stammered, taken aback by how Beca was raising her voice.

Beca then came to a sudden realization that made her stomach drop. "You tipped the paps off, didn't you?"

The look on Olivia's face said it all, no matter how hard she tried to hide it. Beca shook her head, pushing through the paparazzi to get to her car. She heard Olivia's voice calling after her. "Beca, wait!" She said, managing to get to Beca as she unlocked her car door. "I'm sorry, I thought that…"

"That what, Olivia? That you would get me back and tie me down again? That sending the paparazzi after us would make my feelings for you resurface?" Beca said, furious right now. "Some feelings did resurface alright, but they're not good feelings. They're just like the hurt you caused me back in high school."

"I know I hurt you back in high school, but things have changed a lot since then. I felt a spark between us, and I thought you might have felt it too," Olivia started in an attempt to explain herself.

"Olivia, that doesn't excuse you calling the paps. Especially when I told you I'm trying to get away from that right now," Beca said, shaking her head.

"I know, I know and I'm sorr-"

"I'm in love with Chloe, Olivia. She and I both love each other, and I gave her my promise that once I got better, that she and I would be together again," Beca said, opening the door to her car. "Now, because of you, I may never get her back. Do you ever think about anyone other than yourself? You've completely jeopardized my chances with the girl I love."

"I-I'm sorry, Beca. I really am. I didn't realize how big of a deal it woul-"

"That's the problem! You didn't realize it would be a big deal because you don't care!" Beca let out an exasperated sigh. "I don't have time for this," she muttered under her breath as she started to get in her car.

"Beca, I still love you!" Olivia exclaimed.

"And I love Chloe, I guess karma's a bitch," Beca stated before getting into her car and driving off.

When she finally got home, Beca didn't have the energy to talk to anyone, so she went to her room and fell asleep.

Chloe was having trouble sleeping that night for some reason, so she rolled over and picked her phone up from her nightstand. She turned it on, squinting at the brightness until her eyes adjusted to it. It was almost midnight, so she wasn't expecting too many notifications. However, she had quite a few on both Instagram and Twitter.

As another one flashed on her screen, she pressed on it with her thumb and it went to something that made her heart stop.

It was a photo of Beca, kissing another girl. And it wasn't just any other girl, it was Olivia. She could tell from the pictures Beca had shown her during high school. And now there they were, kissing.

Unable to look at the photo any longer, Chloe shut her phone off and put it on her new bedside table. The young woman lay in bed, looking up at the ceiling.

Chloe didn't know what to think. She was experiencing a plethora of emotions all at once—confusion, pain, anger, etc. Questions bounced around the redhead's brain at such a high frequency that she started to get a headache. Chloe really hoped this wasn't what it looked like, and that Beca was being faithful.

The next morning, Beca was woken up by the sound of her phone buzzing. Without looking at who it was, she picked up the phone. "Hello?" She said tiredly.

"Beca, can I talk to you?"

It was Chloe, just who Beca was planning to call once she was awake. The redhead was one step ahead of her.

"Oh, hey Chloe. I was actually gonna call you as soon as I wok-" Beca was interrupted before she could finish that sentence, though.

"You kissed her?" Chloe said, obviously hurt by what she had seen.

"Chlo, she tipped the paps off and kissed me in front of them. I swear that nothing is going on between us," Beca said, rubbing his eyes.

There was a moment of silence before anyone spoke again. "I thought she was over you? That's what you thought."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. I mean, we hadn't talked in years. I assumed that would be enough time for her to get over me," Beca stated truthfully.

"I love you, Beca," Chloe started.

"I love you too, Chl-"

"I want to believe you, it's just...knowing your history with her, it's hard to get it out of my head." Chloe's voice was cracking with emotion as she spoke.

"Chloe, I made a promise to you. You're the one for me, the only one," Beca desperately pleaded with the redhead to believe her.

"How many other girls have you said that to? Did you say that to Olivia?"

"I never in my life have said that to anyone but you, Chloe. Just you," Beca stated confidently. "There's no one else, Chloe. What do I need to do to prove that to you?" She said, feeling a lump growing in her throat.

"I-I don't know...Beca...I've got to go." Chloe then hung up the phone.

Beca sat there, dropping her phone onto her bed. She put her head in her hands, her eyes red as tears started to flow down her cheeks. Why had she ever let Olivia back in her life? She was always finding ways to make trouble, always finding ways to get what she wants.

Before too long, Beca stood up and started to get dressed. She then grabbed her car keys and her wallet and headed down before any of her family members were up. The brunette left a note saying she'd be back soon, but she needed to see Chloe. She needed to show the redhead just how much she loved her.

Beca then made her way to the airport, having called ahead of time so they could get her private jet ready. The brunette didn't use it often, which showed just how urgent this was. It seemed like time couldn't pass any slower as she hustled through the airport towards the gate where her jet was waiting.

The young musician avoided anybody trying to take photos of her, as she was not in a food. However, she did stop to take photos with a couple fans before making her way to the gate.

They were in the air twenty minutes later, and Beca was tapping her foot on the plane's floor; she was trying to figure out what she was going to say to Chloe. _You should probably start by apologizing_ , said a voice in her head. _You're right, but what if she won't even give me the time of day? What do I do then?_ Beca asked herself.

Beca took a deep breath, knowing this was her last chance to prove herself to Chloe. To prove that there was no one else; because there wasn't. Not one.

Chloe was unpacking some of her boxes when there was a knock on her door. The redhead walked over to the door and opened it up to see Aubrey. "Chloe, are you okay? I saw the magazines so I wanted to come and check on you. I mean, you can't ever trust those magazines, but I needed to see if you were alright."

"I'm okay, I guess. I don't really know what to think or feel right now," Chloe answered while stepping aside so Aubrey could come in. "The picture isn't photoshopped, Aubrey. Beca told me that this morning, but she said that she pushed Olivia away as soon as it happened."

Aubrey nodded her head. "Do you believe that story?" She asked, seeing the puzzled expression etched on Chloe's face.

"I want to, Bree, but there's something getting in the way of that. I don't know what it is, but it's there," Chloe said, closing her eyes for a moment and sighing heavily.

Aubrey sat down on Chloe's new couch that they had set up with Jesse yesterday. "Jesse called Beca when he saw it, and she gave him the exact same explanation that she gave you."

"So? Why does that matter?" Chloe asked, sitting down next to Aubrey.

"Because Jesse is half-human, half-lie detector. She knows that she can't bullshit him, even if it's only to mess with him," Aubrey stated, chuckling a little bit to herself. "That girl is crazy about you, Chloe. There's nothing Beca wouldn't do for you. She's not the one to take promises lightly."

"That is true," Chloe murmured, scratching the back of her head. "But it's not like it was some random girl. It was someone she has a history with," the redhead pointed out.

"Yeah, but Olivia never got a promise ring. And I know material things don't matter, but Beca gave you that ring as a promise to be true to you," Aubrey said, shrugging her shoulders. "I'm not trying to make your decision for you, of course. Whatever you decide, I'll support you," the blonde added.

"Thanks, Aubrey. Your opinion does matter a lot to me."

There was a moment of silence between the two women before Aubrey spoke up. "So, what are you thinking?" She asked.

"Honestly, I don't know," Chloe said, leaning back against the couch cushion. "I love her, and I trust her."

"Then trust her story," Aubrey said softly.

"But what if I trust her story and it ends up being a lie?" Chloe asked, tears welling up in her eyes at that thought.

"It won't be, Chloe. Beca loves you too much to stray away. Trust me, I've known her a long time, long enough to be around when she dated Olivia. And it may have been her first love, but she never loved Olivia the way she loves you," Aubrey said before seeing the time. She put her hand on Chloe's shoulder. "I'll see you soon, okay?" She then got up and left.

Chloe sat there for a few minutes and reflected on the conversation that she and Aubrey just had. The redhead wanted to trust Beca, she really did; the fear of the unknown was taking its toll on her, though, and she still hadn't come to a decision by that afternoon.

Beca called Jesse as soon as her jet landed. "Jesse, I need you to give me Chloe's new address," she blurted out as soon as her friend picked up the phone.

"Uhhh, why?" Jesse asked curiously.

"Just, please give it to me. I'm desperate," Beca answered, tapping her foot against the floor of the plane.

"Alright, alright. I'll text it to you," Jesse stated, chuckling for a moment. "Just out of curiosity, what are you going to say to Chloe? Have you figured it out yet?"

"I mean, I don't know the exact words I'm gonna use, but I have a basic idea. I'm just going to try to be as genuine as possible and hope she believes me," Beca said as she made her way out of the jet.

"You've always been honest in your music, maybe you should try that," Jesse said, scratching his head. "You didn't get to where you are in the music world without being able to honestly say how you felt in your songs."

"That is true. I don't know if one of my songs is fitting for this situation, though," Beca replied, furrowing her eyebrows as she tried to think. Then, one popped into her head. "There is a song that I've been working on for awhile, but it's not quite finished yet."

"I bet you can think of something, but I gotta go, okay?" Jesse said.

"Bye, Jesse," Beca said, sighing softly before hanging up the phone and putting it in her jacket pocket.

Before heading over to Chloe's place, Beca stopped by her house so she could grab her keyboard and finish the song on the way. The brunette had a pep in her step when she got inside, making a beeline to the basement where her studio was. She managed to pack the keyboard up relatively fast and was almost out the door again when she bumped into Amy.

"Hey, shortstack, you're back! Why are you in such a rush?"

Beca had to admit, she was really happy to see Amy. "It's good to see you, Amy," she said, setting down the keyboard and giving Amy a hug.

"Long time no see," Amy smiled once they pulled away. "So, what brings you back to the City of Angels?"

"I messed up big time, Amy. Last night, I was out with Olivia on what I thought was a friendly occasion. She wanted more than that, though, and she tipped the paps off as to where we were. When we went to leave, she just grabbed me and...well, I'm sure you've seen the pictures," Beca explained, cringing at the thought.

"Yeah, I saw those," Amy said. "Anything I can do to help?"

"Honestly, I'm trying to finish a song and I need some time before I head over there. Do you think you could get her out of the apartment and set up for me?" Beca asked hopefully.

"You got it, Beca. Now go finish your serenade," Amy teased.

Beca rolled her eyes at Amy's comment but was smiling nonetheless. She then did as she had been told to and started putting the final touches on her song, which was tentatively titled "You Are The Reason".

"Alright, Beca," the brunette said to herself. "Let's do this."

Around 9:00, Beca showed up at Chloe's new place, where Amy had set up a small but beautiful stage on her balcony. There were lights hanging from the ceiling too. "Amy, this is perfect."

"Well, it's not every day that your best friend has to win her girl back after a paparazzi scandal," Amy chuckled.

Beca laughed a bit as well. "Where is Chloe now?" She inquired.

"Emily took Chloe to a movie, Emily just texted me saying they were on their way back," Amy said, helping Beca set up the keyboard. "Did you finish the song?"

"You bet I did, I just hope it works," Beca said, taking a deep breath.

Once they finished setting it up, Beca thanked Amy. "Alright, get outta here, Ames. I gotta win my girl back. Oh, and thank you."

"You're welcome, shortstack," Amy said with a slight smirk on her face.

Beca paced back and forth on the balcony as she waited for Chloe to arrive. _What if she doesn't give me a chance to explain myself? What if she sends me home? What if she says we're done for good?_

The young brunette didn't have much time to think about it when she heard the front door open. "It's now or never," she said to herself.

Chloe hung up her coat, and looked up through the living room, and saw Beca standing there on the balcony. The two of them made eye contact, and Chloe didn't know what to say or how to react. She walked out to the balcony, seeing the beautiful hanging lights. "Beca….what are you-"

"I needed to see you," Beca said, biting down on her bottom lip. "I need you to know what you mean to me. You don't have to take me back, but I thought you should know."

"How did you even get in here?" Chloe asked, crossing her arms.

"Amy. She had a key and let me in," Beca said, before taking a deep breath. "Just please, let me explain this to you in the best way I know how."

Then, Beca began to play the melody on the piano, more nervous for this than she'd ever been in her life. The brunette took a couple deep breaths to calm her nerves before she started to sing.

"You Are The Reason"- Calum Scott

"There goes my heart beating

'Cause you are the reason

I'm losing my sleep

Please come back now

And there goes my mind racing

And you are the reason

That I'm still breathing

I'm hopeless now

I'd climb every mountain

And swim every ocean

Just to be with you

And fix what I've broken

Oh, 'cause I need you to see

That you are the reason."

Beca kept her eyes on Chloe, unable to make out what Chloe was thinking at the moment. Her hands were shaking, but she didn't let that stop her from playing the song flawlessly.

"There goes my hands shaking

And you are the reason

My heart keeps bleeding

I need you now

If I could turn back the clock

I'd make sure the light defeated the dark

I'd spend every hour of every day

Keeping you safe

I'd climb every mountain

And swim every ocean

Just to be with you

And fix what I've broken

Oh, 'cause I need you to see

That you are the reason."

Beca started to get emotional once she reached the bridge, with tears welling up in her eyes while she sang.

"I don't wanna fight no more

I don't wanna hide no more

I don't wanna cry no more

Come on, I need you to hold me

A little close now, just a little closer now

Come a little closer, I need you to hold me

Tonight."

There was a lump in Chloe's throat, yet she couldn't take her eyes off of Beca. With each second that passed, the redhead could feel herself forgetting about what had happened for them to be in that situation.

"I'd climb every mountain

And swim every ocean

Just to be with you

And fix what I've broken

'Cause I need you to see

That you are the reason."

Tears were streaming down Beca's face by the time she finished the last chorus. The brunette played the final chords on the piano before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She then opened her eyes and looked to Chloe, waiting for the redhead to say something.

There was a moment where all that could be heard was the sound of distant traffic downtown. Then, Chloe walked over to the keyboard where Beca was, taking hold of one of the young brunette's hands. Beca was relieved to see she was still wearing the promise ring. Her attention went to Chloe's lips when the redhead began to speak.

"That was beautiful, Beca," Chloe said, tears welling up in her eyes as well. "Am I really worth all this trouble for you?"

"You're worth everything to me, Chlo. I've never, ever loved anyone more than I love you," Beca stated with every ounce of honesty she had. "I am nothing without you, Chloe. I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for you. You are the reason I wake up every morning, the reason I make music, the reason I have kept going through hard times. I owe everything I have and everything I am to you."

Another moment of silence passed between them. Chloe's heartbeat was going faster than it had ever gone. She looked down at hers and Beca's hands and then back up at her lips. "Beca-"

"I can't live and be happy without you in my life, Chloe." Beca said, now cupping Chloe's cheeks and looking straight into her eyes. "All I want is you, Chloe Beale."

"Beca, I...I don't know what to say."

The brunette's face fell, fearing that was a bad thing. "Um, well you don't have to say anything right now, I guess," she replied, looking down awkwardly. Her hands dropped from Chloe's cheeks, and she took a shaky breath, hoping she hadn't come all this way to lose Chloe.

"I'm overwhelmed, Beca." Chloe said, taking a deep breath before the two looked into each other's eyes. "This whole thing, I'm scared. Of everything, but despite all of that, I want to be with you."

Beca's head snapped up when she heard Chloe's last few words. "You do?" She asked, a hopeful tone now in her voice.

"More than anything," Chloe said, a soft smile spreading across her face. "I just want to be with you."

Now there was a smile on Beca's face as well. "And I just want to be with you too. You and you alone." The brunette's gaze flickered down to the redhead's lips a couple times in an attempt to convey a certain message.

Chloe picked up on the message Beca was sending her, and she began to lean in. The first kiss was gentle and sweet, their lips brushing together slowly to savor the moment. When they pulled away, Beca moved her hands to Chloe's hips so she could pull her closer. "Wow, I've missed doing that," Beca whispered with a little chuckle.

"Then do it again," Chloe said, looking deep into Beca's eyes.

Beca didn't need to be told twice; she leaned in and connected their lips a second time, this kiss more passionate than the previous one. "I take back what I said. I've really, really missed doing this."

"Me too," Chloe giggled, blushing as she said this. She and Beca were finally back together after six long years, which was much too long if you asked either one of them.

"What now?"Chloe asked, her arms wrapped around Beca's shoulders.

"Well first, I'd like a tour of your new place," Beca started, tucking some of Chloe's hair away from her face. "Then, I'd like to cuddle with you in your new bed."

"That sounds good to me." Chloe then led Beca back inside the apartment and showed her all the books and crannies before they went to her room to cuddle.

Beca sighed happily as she and the redhead lay there. "Can you believe how long it's been since we were together?" The brunette thought out loud.

Chloe, who had her head resting on Beca's chest, shook her head. "It's been too long," she agreed, unable to keep the smile off her face as she linked her left hand with Beca's right. "When do you have to go back to Seattle?" She asked, hoping Beca didn't have to leave in the morning.

"Depends on how long you'll let me crash here," Beca answered with a chuckle. "I was thinking about going back tomorrow night, but if you want me to stay longer then I will," she added.

"No, it's alright if you go back tomorrow. I want you to get better so that you can be back in LA sooner," Chloe said, running her thumb along the back of Beca's hand.

"Then I'll head back tomorrow ni-"

"But I want to spend the whole day with you tomorrow; I want you all to myself, if that's okay," Chloe said, looking up into Beca's eyes.

"Of course that's okay. I wouldn't want to spend time with anyone else," Beca said, leaning in and pressing a sweet kiss to Chloe's lips.

"Also, while you're up in Seattle, would it be alright if I came up for a visit? My dad wants me back there for my mom's birthday, but I'd want to spend time with you while I'm there." Chloe mentioned, looking at Beca's lips again.

"Yeah. That would be great, actually. My family's been dying to see you," Beca replied, smirking a little when she noticed where Chloe was looking.

"Good, it's settled then." Chloe stated with a smile. "Now get over here and kiss me, because we have six years of makeouts to make up for."

 **Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Beca and Chloe are finally bacl together again! yay! stay tuned to see what happens next!**


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